Take it Out on Me
by I.Dream.Of.Hardyz
Summary: Miami's biggest surfing competition has everyone buzzing. Ally Dawson is just trying to survive it without too much drama. Her boyfriend Dallas is stressing big-time, determined to take it home. It goes to hell when newcomer, Austin Moon arrives. He's one to watch, and he has his eye on the competition, and seemingly Ally, too. What's a girl to do? Time to make waves. Surfing!AU.
1. Chapter 1

**I have no self control. That's about it. I was going to wait to post this story until I posted the last chapter of my other one, but it's been eating at me all night long. I just finished writing the third chapter for this story and I'm just really excited to get it out there. I've wanted to write a surfer!Austin story since I posted the one shot 'Oops' a couple years back and a lot of you told me you wanted to see this one, so here we are. This is very far the lightest story I've written but probably also the 'dirtiest' in a sense too. You might not like what the characters do to each other in the first few chapters, but I promise you, this is a romance between our favorite blond and brunette. Anyway, I'm going to shut up and let my writing speak for itself. Thank you to anyone to decides to read this. I love you.**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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A hum from the radio greeted the young brunette as she stepped down the stairs, heading from the small apartment overhead to the soon to be open surf store. Ally smiled at the old musical device on the counter that no one had the heart to get rid of. It was old, having seen better days but it still played every radio station clearly, and for that it had a spot on the counter to greet not only the customers but remind Ally that her music was still close to her heart.

She crossed the short distance from the stairs to the door, checking outside to see what the day's weather would hold. Even though they were in Florida, and the weather could change in a second's time, the skies were a clear and beautiful blue. A perfect day for surfing and hopefully plenty of customers. She crossed the floor again, putting up the 'employee's only' sign in front of the stairs that led to her home and then walked to the register, counting it and setting up for the day. Her father was still away on a conference about the upcoming surfing competition that Miami Beach was hosting; it would have all the up and coming surfers, and all those who had won awards and were well known to the surfing industry as well.

That list of people included her boyfriend Dallas Berkley, one of the top surfers in the United States. He'd won more competitions in the last few years than any other young athlete in the area, and he had enough sponsorships to sink a small ship. They were lucky that he chose to wear their gear, surf on their boards. Lucky for the money they earned each time he won a competition, each cut they got of his winnings. Sometimes it was hardly anything, especially if it was a small local competition, but then there were the bigger ones, and the one that was coming up was huge. It would mean a big payday for their small little store.

Ally was set to meet with Dallas that morning actually. She was waiting for her best friend to show up to work so that she could open the doors and take off, leaving the store in the while crazy, capable hands of the small brunette Latina. The only problem with her was the girl had no track of time. And she was already five minutes late. Opening late meant missing possible sales, and on a beach like theirs, it was always a competition and a fight to get enough to stay open. Dallas brought in a lot of customers, but it didn't mean they were safe. Not many were.

A bang on the door sent her jumping and she glanced up to see Trish on the other side, waving cheerily while holding two cups of coffee in a tray. Okay, maybe she could be a little late it if meant she brought her some energy in a cup. Ally scurried over to the door and opened it, still being sure to give her friend a look of disapproval.

"You're late," she said to her, taking the cup with her name on it from the tray. "But thank you."

"You're welcome," she replied, setting down the other hot drink on the counter, taking an apron out of her bag and slipping in on. "So what's the plan for today, Ally? You're off, right? Going to see Dallas? Any news about the competition? Is he ready? The bonus you guys will get for this will be great if he wins."

Her questions were rapid fire, and Ally was glad for the instant caffeine spike the coffee gave her so that she could properly answer her friend. "Yes, I'm meeting up with Dallas. I hope he's ready. The competition is only two weeks away now."

"Exciting," Trish giggled. "We should have a lot of hopefuls coming in these two weeks to try and earn a spot. Lots of scouts are already around the beach. We have those like Dallas, but it's an open call, too. They're giving away five spots to amateurs to give them the dream they've always wanted. Pretty badass, right?" She leaned on the counter, propping her chin up by her hands. "And imagine all the hot guys. Shirtless, wet… hot guys."

"I know the details," Ally too laughed. "Dallas isn't fond of it. He doesn't like not knowing who he is going to be up against. I assure him constantly that he's one of the best."

Trish rolled her eyes. "He can have such an ego sometimes."

"He's… deserving of it," she answered defensively.

Trish raised an eyebrow as a group of young teenagers ran past the shop, all toting small boards as they raced toward the waters. The surf had been inadequate this week, and it didn't give much leeway for anyone to practice. Hopefully the waves would be larger as the competition neared.

"If you say so."

Ally glanced at her phone. "I do. I want to get there early, before he heads out for a run or something. I'll see you later. Make sure you lock the door when you take your break, okay?"

"I know! See you later, Ally."

She grabbed her bag and then waved as she darted out of the door and into the blazing sun, the warmth hitting her skin and reminding her of how lovely her hometown was. She slipped sunglasses over her eyes, waving at the neighboring store, an ice cream shop that was beginning their morning routine as well. Inside, she could see Trish's on and off again boyfriend, Jace stirring something in a pot. He waved to him too, as she neared her most prized possession.

Her father was pretty cheap. He often made her work for nothing, which she supposed could be fair considering she only had to do it a couple days a week. Despite that, she'd saved up plenty over the last few years and had recently bought herself a brand new Hyundai Accent complete with a soft, powder blue color to compliment the interior. Ally loved it more than anything in the world, and if she were able, she would have it in her room so that she could watch over it all hours of the day.

She opened the door after unlocking it, setting the coffee that was in her hand in the cup holder. She then slid into the warm vehicle and started it, bringing herself onto the road that would lead to the flashier side of town.

She didn't mind living above the store. It was small, but cozy and comfy, and it was all the two people who lived inside needed. But it didn't mean when she pulled up to Dallas's house about fifteen minutes later that she didn't marvel over how stunning his multi-million dollar house was. She parked her car in the visiting driveway, looking in her bag for the key Dallas had given her a few months back. While Dallas made plenty of his own money, he'd also come from it. His parents were successful in pretty much everything they did, and his father owned one of the biggest businesses in the area. Berkley's Security. Ally couldn't help but think Dallas thought their apartment was like sleeping in low rate hotel room in comparison sometimes.

The house was more quiet than normal as she padded across the freshly cut grass. Usually there were workers outside, either gardening or doing routine maintenance on the property, including the shimmering in-ground pool that she could just see the start of from the high layered steps she'd just dragged herself up. She needed more coffee. She turned the key in the door, letting herself into the even more extravagant inside.

Ally dropped her keys on the key holder to her right, staring at the hallway before her. Sometimes she seriously wondered why Dallas even bothered with her. They were from different worlds. Clearly, as she passed the countless rooms in his home, all decorated superbly and immaculately cleaned (almost as if no one lived in them), they were far from the same. In her house, she was pretty sure if you touched any surface with a Swiffer, you'd probably have dust on it. Not here. Besides, all of her vases were from the dollar store. The one she just passed to the right of her probably cost more than all the items in said store combined.

Somehow, they _worked_. He didn't care about her life; how her father counted every nickel and dime, _hell_ every _penny_ they earned and made it into something. Everyone knew that Lester Dawson was cheap. ' _I'm not cheap, I'm frugal!_ ' came the voice of her father inside of her head. He wouldn't give away a single thing, unless of course it was to Dallas. Because Mr. Moon might as well have already called Dallas his son-in-law. There was even a picture of Dallas framed in their apartment. What's so weird about that? Ally isn't in the picture.

She frowned, coming back to reality, when she heard no one in the house. She was sure that Dallas told her to arrive a little after the store opened, assuring her, as she double checked, that he would be home and they could 'hang out' before he had to practice and train. By hang out, exchange the word hang for make, and you have what they would be doing.

Because despite all their differences, Ally did care deeply for Dallas. He treated her well; constantly complimenting her, loving her. Assuring her that one day, things would be better for the both of them. He had a soft spot in places she enjoyed. He volunteered down at the children's hospital once a month, spending time with patients who only dreamed of what he did in the water. She saw countless pictures both from her boyfriend and the news of his days there. He also loved animals and owned four dogs himself. Two German Sheppards, one Rotweiler mix, and a tiny little mutt that no one could figure out. They were all rescues, and some of the money he made went to the very rescue he got the dogs from.

As if on cue, one of the German Sheppards, Molly came running toward her, nearly knocking her down onto the floor.

She chuckled as the dog licked her, whining proudly as she rubbed her ears, "Molly, where is your Daddy? He is supposed to meet me here."

The dog stared back at her, and Ally chuckled a second time to herself. "Right. Like you're going to answer me."

Ally followed the dog into the kitchen, grabbing a treat jar from the cabinet. She gave the large animal one, and then decided that maybe Dallas was up in his room and had the door shut. In case she was correct, she sent him a warning text (' _hey, can't find you, hope you don't have headphones on and can't hear me'_ ) and then headed up the long, polished stairs.

The walls were littered with Dallas's competition pictures, from when he was only a kid, in swim suits dreaming of beginning in the ocean. There was even one of them, by the beach in their bathing suits, smiling ear to ear. She rolled her eyes at the picture, hating the contrast in skin tones. Hers, sans years previous, had become much tanner, but it was still far from the sun-kissed tone of her boyfriend's skin.

Just as she was almost at the top, someone plowed into her, nearly knocking her off the step, giving her just seconds to clutch the handle blindly and pray she wasn't about to meet her doom. When the world stopped spinning, she opened her eyes and saw a young blond girl in a pair of jean shorts and a tank top, with disheveled hair blinking back at her. Immediately, the girl blubbered an apology, clearly extremely upset with what almost happened.

"Oh, _God_ , I am so sorry! I didn't see you."

Ally smiled warmly, "Don't worry about it. Are you new here?"

" _What?_ " she asked hastily.

"You must work for the Berkley's, right? I'm Dallas's girlfriend. I was just looking for him. Have you seen him?"

" _Work for_ … yes, I do." She chuckled breathlessly. " _I do_. I'm sorry. I was actually running late for an appointment, excuse my brainlessness… I am one of the new… er, maids, I guess you can say. I haven't seen him. I'm sorry." She quickly glanced toward the top of the stairs. "Sorry, I gotta go. I'm really late."

"It's fine, don't worry about it. Nice to meet you—"

"Ashby," she commented promptly. "Ashby."

"I'm Ally, I'm sure we'll meet again soon—I'm always here. Nice meeting you."

"Bye!"

Ally resisted a smile as the girl rushed from the house, door slamming behind her. That kind of behavior often mirrored her own. Because of her best friend Trish, and her other best friend, Dez, she was often running late, speeding through whatever she had to in order to get somewhere in time. Forget the rule that early was on time and on time was late… that did not exist in her vocabulary anymore.

Reclaiming the step she was nearly knocked from, Ally finished the length of them and wandered toward her boyfriend's room, seeing many of the other doors closed. Down the hall and to the right were the worker's rooms, all much smaller and less extravagant than Dallas's family's rooms.

Not to her surprise, his door was closed when she reached it, and through the wood, she could hear the shower on in his adjacent bathroom. _And we have a winner_ , she thought amusingly, letting herself into the room. Dallas had clothes all over the floor, DVDs littered on a coffee table near the TV. On them were other surfers' names, all dated with competitions and beside that, a notebook open with their stats. He was researching, trying to out do them before they even got into the water. Her boyfriend was meticulous about that kind of thing. People assumed because he was a surfer, he was not smart. But he was. He excelled in the private school in which he attended, graduating with honors and was attending one of the state's top colleges on full scholarship. It made ample sense to both him, and her to at least try to scope out who he was up against.

"Ally?"

The door opened and steam explored the room, behind it revealing her shirtless, towel-covered boyfriend who seemed surprised to see her. "You're early."

His dark hair became jet black when it was wet and it sat disheveled on his head.

"Not really. Trish was late; I just made good time with traffic this morning. I sent you a text. Did you get it?"

"Text? Oh, no. I was in the shower. Sorry."

"That's alright," she commented, seeing the mentioned phone near his bedside table. "Oh! I met your new house worker on my way up before. I think she said her name was Ashby. She was very nice. She's so young!"

Dallas grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from his dresser, casually walking over to Ally, who was seated at the coffee table, looking over the other surfer's stats. She missed the panicked look on Dallas's face.

"Anyway, I see you're already starting to look everyone over. Anyone I don't know here?"

"A lot of them actually," he answered, and she glanced up to see he already had the shorts on, and was pulling the shirt over his head. "It's a bunch of guys from across the country. They seemingly want to make a name here," he sneered. "Forget about it. I'm the best."

Ally chuckled, "Yes, you are. I wouldn't worry too much about them. Did you know they're opening several spots to up and comers?"

"Newbies?" Dallas snorted. "Ha! That is one thing I'm definitely not worried about."

The egocentric side of her boyfriend was coming out, the side that Trish didn't like. She ignored him in the following moments while he ranted and raved about how there was no need for anyone who was not an established name in this competition, and how they'd be better off without them. She didn't want to point out that he too had once gotten his start in one of those kinds of ways. It would just cause an argument that would be unnecessary.

"What do you want to do today?" she asked instead, hoping it would change his train of thought.

"I have so much to look over still," he said back, barely looking her way. "Maybe we should just order-in lunch or something. I have a busy afternoon, too."

"That's fine," she assured him. "I have to meet Dez at three to hang up posters throughout town for the competition."

Dallas made a face, "Is Theo going to be there?"

Her breath caught. She knew how much Dallas hated Dez's boyfriend, Theo. Why? Because Theo had recently kicked his ass in a competition. According to her competitive boyfriend, it was all luck. Hell, they'd even been friends before it. Now, Theo was his biggest threat; the one thing in his eyes, that came between him and a win. He could out scout everyone; he could research his ass off… the problem? Theo did the same. Theo was the wildcard that her boyfriend could not prepare for.

"I don't know. Probably."

"I'd rather you not go then," he said curtly, as if it was set-in-stone. "He's bad news."

Ally resisted snorting, "Really? I highly doubt that. What do you think me going there is going to do? Do you think they're going to tie me up and make me admit all your secrets and best ideas?" She giggled when Dallas gave her a pained look, as if her humor was not funny and instead absolutely worthless. "Relax, Dallas. He's not going to bother anyone. They care just as much about the competition as you do. The competition means as much to the community as it does every surfer. It's big money for the beach, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered. "I still don't like him."

Ally grinned, "Do you want me to snap a picture of the trophy?"

That time, a pillow flew at her head. She giggled as Dallas flat-out glared at her, knowing she'd hit a nerve. Except, it was still early on in the days before the competition, so she could make jokes like that without him actually getting pissed off. Had it been a few days before, they probably would've ended up fighting. Instead, he grabbed her around the waist and tossed her onto the bed, planting kisses up and down her neck. He stopped short with his breath tickling her there. "What trophy? I already have mine."


	2. Chapter 2

**Ahh! Thank you for a great first chapter response. :) I'm super excited to get further into this story and I hope you are, too. It's going to be one of those where a lot of teasing, sort of hilarious things goes on. I'm really enjoying writing it, so I really hope you enjoy reading it. :)**

 **follow me on twitter! at theredheadariel**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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"You're so tiny it's unbelievable," Theo said to her sometime later, his voice laced with amusement and also fondness, as Ally reached to staple a poster up on one of the power posts, having trouble reaching the spot where it needed to be. She sank down, defeated and gave him a teasing smile, followed by sticking her tongue out. It didn't help that Theo was six foot himself, making her look even tinier than most. Like a child, he patted her head. "It's all good. We love you anyway, Ally."

"You guys are just _ridiculously_ tall," she defended, crossing her arms. "Clearly they picked the right two guys to do this job."

"Nah, Dez got stuck with this," he laughed back, seeing the redheaded male down the street, trying to balance stapling his own sign and smoking a cigarette in the other hand.

She made a face, "I thought he quit. And what do you mean he got _stuck with_ this?"

"He did," Theo answered, grabbing some papers that flew away while he was helping her. "A few days ago. I give it another two before he decides he's done again. And by that, I mean his parents caught him sneaking into the house past three am, and his mother insisted if he didn't want to be stuck inside rest of the year, that he'd do this for free."

Ally snorted. His mother was on the council for Miami and wanted to keep up a good public image. Her son sneaking into the house that late would only spell trouble for her and rest of her team if he'd been caught by the ridiculous news team here. "And I wonder just where he was before he came home?"

His boyfriend smiled sheepishly, "Dunno. Must've been having a good time."

"Uh huh," she laughed, watching him flick the ashes. "I really wish he wouldn't do that."

"You and me both," her best friend's boyfriend agreed, following her down the street and laughing when Ally took the small object from his hand, crushing it with the heel of her shoe. His heartbroken expression only lasted a second before he turned the color of his hair.

"I thought you quit," she repeated darkly.

Dez sputtered, "I did! It was a stress thing."

A raised eyebrow only got him more flustered, "Sure it was. Dez, you promised me. You know how bad it is for you."

"I know," he murmured, rubbing his arm up and down. Littered on his skin were tattoos, all having been done within the last year. Gone were the days of high school when Dez was covered in odd clothing options and here were the days of his even further evolved hipster persona. While he was still the goofy, often a bit ridiculous boy she remembered from high school, he had also changed quite a bit.

Including that disgusting habit.

"How many more blocks?"

"I dunno, probably like five," Theo commented.

"Well, I'm starving," Dez complained. "Can we go get lunch at Bridget's Diner before we continue?"

The other two nodded furiously; everyone loved the local diner. "Hell yeah."

At the diner, as the boys destroyed a plate of loaded potatoes, she looked over her weekly planner. The weeks leading into the competition would prove to be just as busy as the actual event. Besides helping Dallas prepare, which was a task in itself, she had to organize the surf shop (her father wasn't due back until a couple days before), make sure all stock was well filled, and maintain business as usual, too. Normally, that didn't seem so tough, but Dallas was dead-set on winning this, and that meant a lot of late nights and hard spent time.

She hoped when it was all said and done he was happy, and she could rest for as long as she needed.

"Ally?"

"Hmm?" she murmured, circling something she didn't want to forget especially.

Dez was looking at her. "You zoned out on us. I asked if you were coming to the try outs in two days."

"Try outs?"

"The competition try outs," he added, giving her a worried look. "Are you okay? You look tired."

She yawned, as if on cue. "I am," she admitted. "I didn't sleep well last night. I was doing an inventory of the shop and it took me an hour to find some missing items. I guess I confused one of the other girls and she put them in the wrong spot. Then, I got up early because I had to meet Dallas, but Trish was late and—"

"It's okay," he immediately assured her, and she was thankful for that. It would be a stressful few weeks for everyone, herself included.

"But I'll be there, definitely."

"I'll be out that day, too," Theo admitted, proving himself to be just like Dallas. Scouting before the newbies were even in. Boys could be so competitive.

"Of course you will be," she laughed.

Dez rolled his eyes, "Has Dallas come around yet? I can't believe he's still holding a grudge about the last competition. It's like he really thinks he can win them all."

Her cheeks burned. He really _did_ think that, but she wasn't going to tell her friends. Once _their_ friends. While Theo was as competitive as her boyfriend, he never let it get in the way of his relationships or friendships. He'd never sink to that level. She missed the days of the three of them surrounding her, all spouting off surf terms and arguing about their next event, competition or just fun day out at the beach.

Her time was divided these days—between Theo, Dez, and Trish, and then Dallas. In his mind, he didn't need friends. He needed a name. A name would get him to his parent's level, bring him up in life and assure him a quality one. She understood it, but sometimes hated it. Growing up in money meant you had to keep it. "I think he just needs some more time—he's not used to having someone be as good as him."

"So you _do_ think I'm as good as him?" Theo quipped, pumping his hands. "Alright!"

Ally rolled her eyes too, "I'll never admit to saying that."

"Your secret is safe with me," he teased.

By the time Ally was done with the boys, it was time for her to head back to the surf shop: do a final count of the register, set the security in place, and make sure nothing else had to be done. For a twenty year old girl, she sure did have a lot on her shoulders. But running a store often meant giving up some freedoms, and because it also set a roof on her head, she really couldn't hate it too much.

The store was quiet when she arrived, and she found her friend flipping aimlessly through a gossip magazine, smacking her gum. She barely glanced at her when she entered. Ally rolled her eyes, "Trish! What if I was a customer?"

The girl snorted, "Ally, I've had two customers in the last two hours. I think you're fine."

"Two?" That seemed impossible. Sure, it was a weekday and the waves were kind of off, but people still were at the beach. To make sure, she glanced out the window and yes, there were plenty of people who were on boards in the water, and even more littered on the sand. Two was not a good sign.

"Well, one actually," the girl admitted. "The other guy just wanted to use our bathroom."

"Ugh," she moaned, shaking her head. "This is horrible. We need to do something!"

"Like what?"

Ally shrugged, having no ideas. "Business has been down for weeks. Ever since that new store opened on the other side of the beach. I don't like them. They practically stole everyone!"

"Ally…"

"It's like they think they can just steal everyone away, like we haven't worked to make this place ours in the last few years!"

"Ally—"

"How dare they! I swear, if I could I'd go down there and give them a piece of my mind!"

"ALLY!"

She turned to look at her. "What?"

"We'll figure it out," she said calmly, trying to relax her. "We'll do something. Don't worry."

 **Take it Out on Me**

He remembered very few things about his childhood. Real, vivid memories that is. He had plenty of blurred recollections of skate parks and nights at the movies with his friends, but there was a very small cluster of memories from his days as an actual child that he could _remember_. Visiting his Uncle Crash at the beach was one of them.

He'd never been to the beach before. Having grown up in the Midwest, the closest thing he'd ever seen to ocean water was the lake about two hours away. Even then, it was a lake. There wasn't the smell of the ocean; there were not any waves. The sand didn't even feel the same. Some may say that water is water, but Austin Moon would argue otherwise.

He felt at home by the sea. He didn't remember ever feeling like that anywhere else.

It started the first night he was there. His Uncle, back in the day, was an avid surfer, ocean-person in general himself. He took Austin out his first night—out the backdoor that is—until they were right onto the sand. How awesome was it that his Uncle owned a house on the water? He was lecturing him about swimming at these times, dusk and dawn were dangerous for any person because that was when sharks fed. He said, despite this, the ocean was a beautiful, extraordinary piece of art, a blessing that he should always respect.

He spoke like something out of a movie (he did that often—he was a man of cliché sayings) and because Austin was ten and he really didn't know much about the water, he listened. Then, the next morning, he took him out into it. It was cold—because though it was Miami and it was still 85 degrees in the winter, the water was much chillier. He explained to him that he had to go with the waves. He said things that otherwise just sounded nuts, especially to someone whose vocabulary wasn't that diverse at the time.

He listened though.

It started with swimming. He took him out a couple times that day, and he proved to be a natural.

By the time the second day rolled around, they were buying boards—small ones—from the local surf shop and he was showing him the basics of surfing. That wasn't as easy. He kept nose-diving into the water and it didn't feel good. Sort of like swallowing shower water through your nose, only a thousand times worse. _Practice made perfect,_ his uncle crowed and by the time the sun was starting to set, he'd finally gotten his first wave.

That was indescribable. To this day, he couldn't put words on it.

Soon, he was coming back every summer, spending the majority of the time in the water and practically begging his uncle to let him stay for more than a week or two. 

His parents said otherwise. They were worried if he moved down there, that he would spend too much time on the surfing, and not enough time on academics. They had a point there, but that didn't mean he didn't beg them any less. There were other things, too. Things that he probably could have prevented had he not been a moron. But the past was the past. He couldn't change it. Now, out of high school and on his own accord, he did what he wanted. And that meant moving in with his Uncle on the beach and spending the majority of his time surfing, and the rest of it being a bachelor.

"Do you even sleep?"

The question caught him off guard, and he felt his hand skirt off the long-board he was waxing, the wax slipping into the sand. He made a face at this, then at his Uncle who was standing behind him, a weary look on his face. Okay, so the sun wasn't up yet. But it was technically morning, and the horizon promised light within the hour. So yes, he did sleep. Just not like a normal person.

"Yes," he answered verbally. "I wanted an early start."

"You don't plan on getting into the water before dawn, do you?" his Uncle asked worriedly.

"No," he replied, picking the now sand covered wax off the ground. "I was just going to finish waxing my board and then head down to the shop to grab some other necessities. I wanted to be out as early as possible."

"You're going to do fine." His Uncle was his biggest supporter, of course he had to say that. The judges and scouting agents wouldn't say the same. They would pick the best. He had to be the best.

"I'm not even in yet," he replied. "How can I do that?"

"You know what I mean." The blond man smiled affectionately down at his nephew. "Just take it day by day, Austin. I know you have a spot in you. You're my blood, after all."

He looked at his Uncle Braden, often called Crash by the locals and Austin himself. He was in his thirties and he literally resembled something out of a surfing ad. With dirty blond locks and a permanent shadow on his chin, the winning smile and charming personality only added to the whole look he gave off. At one time, he was a local surfer, and a good one at that. He did a competition or two in his day, before a devastating injury took him off the surfboard for good. It was also how he got the nickname Crash—irony, he supposed.

"Doesn't mean anything," he finally retorted. "I need to work at it."

His Uncle sighed, putting his arm on his shoulder. "Relax, kid. Enjoy the ride."

"You sound like something out of a magazine," he snorted.

"You're twenty years old and up before the _sun_ is. Most kids your age are still sleeping until noon."

"Are you saying I should be like them?"

He earned a smirk. Austin knew enough that his Uncle at one point was just like him, so taunting and questioning him was all the more fun.

"No, that is not what I'm saying. I'm saying that you need to relax a little."

"I'll relax when the competition is over," he determined.

The older man chuckled, "There is more to life than surfing."

He didn't want to comment this, but it was easier for the man to say because he was no longer in the water. He didn't have to worry about making it, his surfing days were in the past.

He glanced out at the ocean, watching the waves crash onto shore, the foam settling only a few feet away from where the both of them were standing. Surfing had been his life in recent years. He'd moved down here a year ago, and since then, he'd been working on perfecting his craft in various towns, wherever he could get the best surf that day. In fact, he'd been out of town only until a week ago, traveling with his friend trying to catch the former mentioned.

He didn't have a back up plan; anything else to fall back onto. It was surfing, or bust.

As they chatted, a young dark haired male ran past their house, getting both of their attention if only for a second. He crossed them without even a glance in their direction. Austin realized he should be doing that. Renewed, he looked back at him. "More than life to surfing," he mused. "I'll let you know when I believe that."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for your reviews! I appreciate the response, and hope you guys continue to read. The story is just starting up - lots of fun, crazy things to happen. :)**

 **follow me on twitter! at theredheadariel**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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The day between the tryouts passed quickly. Ally had to set up a couple new displays in the shop (and they happened to be things she couldn't trust any of the other employees to do correctly). That evening she met with Dallas, who also agreed that he would be going to the tryouts to watch the 'morons' as he claimed. She ignored his harsh speech, knowing he was stressed and when he got into those moods, trying to reason with him would be pointless and more exhausting than it was worth. They got a late dinner by the water and then Dallas had to head home for an online interview with some surfing magazine.

She on the other hand, was not ready to head back to her empty apartment upstairs. Once at the surf shop, she parked her car and put her keys into her purse, following her instinct to head to the beach and clear her head. The weeks leading into a competition were always like this, but somehow, this one seemed all the more exhausting. It didn't help that this was the biggest one he'd been in, in a while, and that he'd come off his last losing to Theo. She just hoped the two boys would be able to keep the peace through the days. She knew Theo would never provoke him, but if Dallas were to get into his face, he wouldn't hold back either.

That kind of thing was the last thing she needed on her mind.

At the sand, Ally walked all the way to the water. The sun was starting to cast shadows on the white ground, and she took the time to appreciate the view she got to look out the window to every morning and night. Beside her were a few people who were chasing kites or doing some late night beach fishing, and down the way, she could see a couple holding hands and kissing. She smiled at them, wishing for moments like that again soon. They weren't that far, but she could use his strong touch around her waist then, reminding her that the stress was always worth the outcome.

It was just stressful when he was worrying about things giving him a better life, when this competition pretty much counted on her own survival. Once again, completely different worlds.

A text buzzed in her pocket and she saw it was from Dez. He was asking where she was, as he noticed the lights were off above the shop. She texted back her location and then sank down onto the sand, waiting for his arrival.

"Hey," he said, his voice quiet as he sat down next to her. "You okay?"

"Just tired," she admitted, looking at him with her gentle eyes. "How is Theo doing? Is he worried about tomorrow?"

He shook his head, "No, not really. He doesn't think the guys they're letting in will really hamper anyone. They're newbies as far as he knows, and the majority of them will probably bank out the first day of competition. You know how it is. Just getting the first airtime is important."

She vaguely remembered those days. Her father took a huge risk putting his money on Dallas, and they were just lucky that it panned out. Funny, they were in such a similar situation now. "I wish that Dallas would see it that way. His stress is almost contagious."

"I knew you looked off the last two days," he muttered. "Don't let his insanity get to you. I told you that you need to step away when he's like that, try not to be a part of it."

She shook her head, "It's not that easy, Dez. I can't do that—I'm his _girlfriend_ , he _expects_ me to be there for him. I have to be there for him—who is going to be if I'm not?"

"And who is going to be there for _you_?" he fired back, his tone harsher than he probably realized. She didn't have an answer for him. A part of her wanted to say that he could be, that Trish could be. Her friends, but she knew she was missing the point. The whole idea of a relationship was to strengthen each other, not do the opposite. He shook his head angrily. "Sometimes I wish I never introduced you two. I know he loves you, Ally but sometimes I feel like he only cares about himself. You need to get away for a few days when this is all over, go to a spa or something—whatever it is you girls do. I'm going to text Trish about it when I leave here."

She laughed, shoving him. "You could always come too, you know."

"Now that's just an insult."

She grinned. "Don't worry about me, though. I'm a big girl, I can handle it. Don't feel bad for introducing us. Dallas has a lot of great qualities, but much like you and me, he's got some negative ones." She gave him a teasing smile. "At least he doesn't smoke."

The redhead groaned, throwing his tattooed arms into the air. "I give up!"

"I love you," she murmured quietly. "Thanks."

"Love you too, Ally Gator."

It was a perfect morning for surfing the next day, Ally realized as she started her routine that morning, glancing out the window at the sky. Blue and cloudless, much like the other morning. The surf seemed better, too. She hurried back to the register, quickly counting it, knowing that she had only half the time to complete her normal routine before she had to meet with her friends and boyfriend to catch the tryouts. She went through her checklist, than ran back up the stairs to change into a pair of shorts and a tank top, throwing her hair into a ponytail and slathering on the sunscreen.

Beautiful beach or not, Ally was not like her friends. She would burn the second she stood outside if she did not invest in a good cream to save her otherwise porcelain skin. A phone call only added to her rush and she slipped on a pair of old flip flops, grabbing a lip gloss as she darted down the stairs, throwing the 'do not enter' sign up after she exited. Much to her relief, the opening cashier was already at the door, boredly on their phone when she arrived.

"Hey Olly," she greeted. "Thanks for being on time. Don't forget to clock in this time, okay?"

She didn't wait for a response, hearing her phone go off a second time, and ran out the door.

There, she saw her friends—Trish, Dez, Theo, and Jace waiting for her near the boardwalk. Theo teasingly tapped his watch at her, and she rolled her eyes, joining them. Together, they made it to the beach with minutes to spare. Dallas was nowhere to be found, and she noticed that her messages to him were coming up not delivered. Where was her crazy boyfriend? He wouldn't miss this for anything.

The few others on the beach were surprising to Ally; usually people loved any chance they got to watch people squirm for these kind of things. They set up a towel near the judging booth, scouting a few of the people hoping to catch a spot. She noticed only one girl, a blonde with legs that seemed to never end. She heard Trish complain jealously over her. Even Dez had his eyes on the girl.

Then, there was a male who happened to be the shortest surfer she ever had seen. He was constantly rubbing his nose, staring at his phone, looking as if something might hop out of the water and consume him before he even got into it. She nudged Theo at this and the tall surfer only chuckled. "Told you. Have of these guys probably won't even make it through the first round today."

Over the next couple of minutes she scanned the crowd of growing surfers, not seeing many that looked as if they could handle the board in their hands. It was a shame; sometimes coming into the competition this way could absolutely make your career. People loved an underdog. She knew a couple of guys, before Dallas has ostracized them from her friendship, who had done that.

"Speaking of the crazy," her best friend said, eyeing her. "Where is Dallas?"

"Don't know," she admitted, shaking her head at Trish. "He's not answering his phone."

She sipped a wine cooler concealed by a bottle of water, rolling her eyes. "So professional. But if someone else did the same, they would be wrong, right guys?"

"Trish," Dez warned, knowing how much she hated when they spoke negatively of him.

"He's determined, blah blah," she mumbled. "I know. God, I need a stronger drink."

"It's only ten in the morning," Jace pointed out.

"Are you my boyfriend?" she asked him, giving him a deathly glare.

Jace, who had remained silent in those few moments beforehand, sank back into that. Ally bit back a laugh, shaking her head. Trish could be ruthless and cruel without second thought. She knew they were on a break and that Jace was trying to win his way back into her heart. Honestly, he wasn't a bad guy, just seemingly always managed to counter the ridiculous things that she did quite well. And it pissed Trish off. They were opposites too, but worked most of the time. But only when she wanted them to. Otherwise, he was just an idiot, her words.

"Thought so," she chirped.

Ally looked at Dez, who only shook his head.

Then, she got a text on her phone. _I overslept! Why didn't you text me?!_

"Is that Dallas?" Dez asked, poking over her shoulder.

She bit down on her lip, nodding. "He overslept."

"Stupid," he muttered. "Did he not set an alarm?"

"I don't know," she answered, then went to answer him. _I tried. Nothing went through. Did you not set an alarm?_

 _You should've come and woke me up! What the hell, Ally?!_

She immediately wanted to shut the phone. Nope, she was not in any mood to deal with one of his tantrums. _I'm sorry, since when am I your human alarm clock?_ _Dallas_ _, you're a grown man. I reminded you last night before I left that you had to be up early._

He didn't answer her.

Ally rolled her eyes, shutting off her phone. She'd deal with his stupidity later.

After a few more minutes of chatter, the group's conversation halted at the sound of a bullhorn. A man who she recognized as a former surfing champion started to talk about the importance of the upcoming competition and how they were very excited to give an opportunity to some upcoming names. He explained how the tryouts would work, how each contestant (there were twenty) would have a ten minute showcase to please and impress the judges. From there, they would cut ten names immediately, and the second showcase would start. He explained that the judges would pick five contestants from that final ten who would make the cut, giving the actual competition a total of twenty five competitors.

This was not new information to her, so she focused back on the guys and couple of girls who were getting into the water. She noticed a particularly quiet guy toward the front, his arm tightly around his board. He was blond, his hair slicked back with some sort of gel, but she could tell just from where she sat he dyed it. A part of her wanted to snort. Why bother?

"He's quite cute," Trish said, pointing to him. "Looks a little constipated though."

She bit her lip at the pained look on Jace's face.

"He is quite attractive," Dez agreed. Theo made a face that time. "Relax, baby. I am not going anywhere. He's got nothing on you."

Theo grinned, "Better not."

Just as she was going to coo over how adorable they were, someone plopped down on the sand next to her wordlessly. Dallas. He didn't even look at her, only took out a pair of binoculars and began to watch the hopefuls into the water. Ally rolled her eyes, wedging herself closer to her friends, letting him know if only by her actions that she was pissed. They could have an argument later.

The guys were right. Half of the people in the water could barely stand on their board, let alone surf it through a wave. A part of her couldn't look away, because it was so painful to watch that it was borderline enjoyable. The other half felt bad for them because she heard Dallas mocking them from under her breath. Even Theo had a few comments to share.

"Nice of you to join us," Trish commented, noticing Dallas about halfway through the competition. "Sleep well?"

He scowled at her, not giving an answer.

"Geez," she laughed. "Never have had a sense of humor, have you?"

"Ally?" Dallas asked, his voice almost clipped. "Do you want to get closer to the water?"

Normally, she would've played peacemaker between them, try to make the group all get along at least until the event was over, but she didn't care to boost his ego right then. He was rude, and Dez was right the night before. Someone had to be there for her, and even if it was herself, she was going to do it. He wanted her respect? He had to give some. So, she just turned her shoulder to Dez, resting her head there. "Nope. I'm good. The view is perfect here."

He huffed off, leaving the rest of them giggling.

"God, he really needs to take a Xanax or something," Jace muttered. "He gets so worked up over this shit."

"He really does," Theo laughed. "I don't even care that much."

Ally didn't like when they mocked him, because they didn't understand. He had something to live up to. While it didn't excuse his behavior, it did give at least an inkling to why he did act the way he was. It wasn't an excuse for her either, because she was just fine with him to be by himself, getting drenched by the wet sand. He could suffer for a while, but only at her hands. Not theirs.

"Let's talk about something else," she suggested. "Like where are we going for lunch?"

By the lunch hour, they were all starving, but were waiting to see what the judges had to say. They were to make the first cut then, letting ten of the hopefuls go until the next time. Ally was not surprised when the short surfer was cut first, followed by one of the guys who almost looked scared of his board. One by one people were told thanks for their time, and she felt bad for them. Of course, the sucked and there was no doubt about that, but they did show up and give it their best, and she had to respect it. Ally nudged Dez as one of the guys went off to the side and seemingly started to cry in a girl's shoulder. Good lord.

The tall, long legged girl was the first to get the okay that she was in the second half of the tryouts. She ran off to the side, hugging her friends who had been amply cheering her for the last hour or so, her blond curls curving over her face now that they weren't in a ponytail. Another guy got in and did a dance by himself in the corner. She had to laugh. This competition meant to much to so many, it would be devastating to know that not everyone would take home any sort of prize. At least they had the exposure, as Theo pointed out. The majority of them were young and still had a lot to prove.

"The blond god is in!" Trish giggled, now halfway to being tipsy.

"You don't really think he's that good looking, do you?" Jace wondered, eyeing her sadly.

"So what if I did?" she fired back.

He slumped his shoulders, but then said, "Because I think you're beautiful."

"Keep trying," she teased, flicking her empty bottle at him. "Keep trying."

Ally watched the blond guy walk over to a phone that a random girl, eyes wide and clearly hopeful, was holding for him. He dialed a number and then smiled into it, chatting with someone. Then, he simply hung it up and went over to a table where there were towels, clearly pleased with himself.

By the time everyone was given their results, her friends were starved. But she knew she had other things to do, looking toward the water. Dallas was standing there, staring at them with almost hurt eyes. She had to go talk to him, or they'd never get over the mishap. And she really didn't want to wait until tonight, when he was given the names of the five let in and was back into scouting mode. Now was the time, whether she wanted to, or not.

"Yo, Ally, you coming?" Dez asked, as he gathered the last of their things.

She looked toward Dallas, now sitting on the sand, writing something into his phone. "I'll meet up with you guys there," she sighed. "Okay?"

He was hesitant to nod, but then left.

Ally took a deep breath and headed over to him, casting a shadow over his phone with her body. He didn't look up, as if he knew it was here, clicking away in his notes; things about each of the ten contestants. She coughed, and he finally looked away, scowling at her.

She resisted rolling her eyes. "You can't seriously be mad at me."

"What do you think?" he asked, his voice tight. "I am—you embarrassed me back there."

"And you spoke to me like I was your maid, not your girlfriend this morning," she fired back, trying to keep her tone level because they didn't need a crowd. This wasn't really a media thing, but that didn't mean that there weren't a few around. A story could blow more than just the competition for her boyfriend and she didn't want that.

He stood up, towering over her like he normally did. "I'm sorry. I'm stressed."

She folded her arms, still not okay with his half-assed apology. "You going to say that the rest of your life? You can't just do things like that and think rolling your eyes and huffing will fix it all. Dallas, I'm your girlfriend and I know that this means a lot to you. You seem to forget that it means a lot to me, too. That said, you are a grown man who is responsible for his own actions. It's not my fault if you overslept. I did try and contact you, but your phone was off."

"I know that."

She smiled slightly, "Then can we forget this happened and move on please? I'd really like if you came to lunch with me and the others, try to enjoy yourself. You seem to forget some of them at one time were your friends too." He didn't seem convinced. "Theo is not out to get you, despite whatever makes you think he is. Trish just wants to make sure you're treating me right, and I know you know Dez is a good guy."

He looked toward the judges booth, where some of the contestants were still hanging out. "I really should stay here and try to get ahead."

"They're not going anywhere," she assured him. "You're twenty years old, and you've got plenty of time to still prepare. Be like the rest of us and laugh for a little bit. It'll do wonders."

He eyed her, his entire expression softening. With a nod, he followed her to the car.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for your reviews! Sorry it's been a little bit - I had plans to have this chapter up last week, but life got into the way. You should see the next chapter by the end of the weekend! And like I said, I know it's starting a little slow, but there is a point to that. People don't just meet others and things change within seconds - well not usually, at least. Ally isn't going to break up with Dallas because he's an asshole, she's a bit deluded into thinking it's all excusable. Trust me guys, we're getting to the good stuff. And now... here's a scene I've been waiting to write for a while now. :)**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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"Congrats, dude," a guy said, coming up beside him. He recognized him as the kid who went into the water before he had, one of the others who had also made it through to the second round. Austin had just gotten off the phone with his Uncle, letting him know the good news that he'd made it. He was proud, but modestly so. It was only round one, and still five other guys would be cut. He didn't want to be one of them. "You were fantastic."

He eyed the guy; dark brown hair and round, big eyes. He seemed genuine enough, but when it came to this kind of thing, he didn't trust anyone. He nodded his head curtly. "Thanks. You too."

"Not a problem. Are you hanging out here until the next set?"

Austin pretended to listen to the guy as he continued his conversation, though one sided as he scanned the beach for anything to use as an excuse to get away. He noticed a couple standing off to the side, the guy in a pair of expensive looking board shorts and a white t shirt, and a curvy, petite brunette who was standing over him with an annoyed expression on her porcelain face. He couldn't help but stare; she was effortlessly beautiful. The kind of rare girl who didn't have to pile on make up to enhance her face; it did it on his own. Not that he had a problem with girls who wore make up, because his mother was a make up artist herself. He'd grown up watching already beautiful woman slather it on not because it made them feel good, but because the majority of the time, they were trying to impress a guy.

"That's Dallas Berkley, and his girlfriend. You know them?"

He shook his head, still enchanted by her. They had moved a bit, the guy—Dallas looking humbled. The one next to him, whose name he'd forgotten already, came up beside him and raised a hand as if he were to wave it in his face. He gave a look that told him if he did it, he might punch him.

The guy held back. He then said, "I said that he's one of the top surfers in the country, I'm surprised you're not familiar with him. He's the guy the majority of us aspire to be."

"I don't aspire to be anyone," he said flatly.

"Well yeah, I know what you mean… but he's the kind of guy you want to have a career like. He's got a ton of medals, even more trophies, a few sponsorships, and of course her."

"The girl," he clarified.

He guy nodded. "Yeah. For sure. I forget her name, but she's been with him for a while. She owns that surf shop just up off the boardwalk. I forget it's name, too. But she's always there."

He absorbed this information and everything else the random surfer decided to tell him until he saw the couple walk away, hand in hand. A part of him was a bit depressed about it—jealous even, until he realized he didn't have time for this kind of thing anyway. He didn't need a girlfriend, he needed to get a career. The girl was beautiful, stunning even, but she wasn't in his future. He was sure of it. The trophy to this competition on the other hand, was.

Austin wasn't surprised when he made it through the second round several hours later. He knew he was good enough to get through there; it was the actual competition that worried him. In fact, he hadn't stopped thinking about that Dallas guy that the random guy on the beach mentioned. Having looked him up over the break, he discovered the guy was right. He was surfing royalty. It made his head spin to just read through the last few medals and accolades that he'd been given. If he was only one of the best, what exactly was he in for?

He was mainly self and Uncle taught, with no sponsorships or fancy board. His favorite board happened to be one of his Uncle's old ones; one that Crash used to win a competition or two in his day. It required a lot of upkeep and he was pretty sure it would give out in the future. They weren't meant to last fifteen years, and he went through a thing of wax almost every couple of days.

Which, was why, instead of going to celebrate his small victory, he was strolling down the boardwalk, looking for the nearest surf shop. The one he always frequented was much closer to his house, which would take him a longer time to get to—considering had to drive to where the tryouts were that morning, having his board and other important surfing items with him. Normally, the three mile stretch of beach would be no problem, but he didn't want to waste energy on anything but the water. So, a car meant traffic and traffic meant an annoyed Austin, and that the shop by his house would be closed.

He stopped short in front of a two story building with the name _Dawson Surf Supply_ in big, red letters. He shrugged his shoulders and left his board against the wall. Then, he entered.

The minimal air conditioning was evident to him first, as he didn't feel that typical cold air rush as the door swooshed closed behind him. There was an ancient radio in the corner that hummed the top 40 and filled the surfing store with a decent atmosphere. Of course, it wasn't the shop he was used to, but as he scanned the mint colored walls—almost like sea foam—with a dark trim, he couldn't complain. It was held together quite nice.

Then, he heard it. A young girl's voice carried through the shop, from somewhere out of eyesight. A curse followed the panicked sentence, and emerged a tiny girl with dark hair, a large box covering her face. She balanced with it, immediately somehow turning her attention to Austin. "Trish! You're late again! Damn it, I told you not to drink this morning; you know that wine coolers always give you a headache! I had to be out of here twenty minutes ago to meet with Dez's mom! I told you this."

He bit back an amused laugh as she bent over opposite him, back turned. He couldn't help but notice how cute her butt looked in her dark wash jean shorts. For a moment, he thought they looked familiar, but then he shrugged it off. _Everyone wears jean shorts, you moron_ , he scolded. Still, the girl didn't stop her rant. Whoever this Trish was had seriously pissed her off, and because the brunette couldn't be bigger than five foot, he was trying his hardest not to laugh hysterically at her.

"I mean really! You were the one who offered to take this shift!" A pause made him wonder if it was over. "Ugh! Damn it. I can't find the papers I need for this meeting. This is great. We're already screwed this month with sales, and now I look like I'm incompetent as a manager. This is just freaking great."

Austin wondered if he should intervene, but he just couldn't. It was too funny.

"Do you realize how bad this makes me look? I mean, you're my best friend and I love you, but you're killing me here!" The girl groaned, finally straightening her body, though it was still facing the wall. "Are you just going to ignore me? I swear, if you went looking for that blond surfer who got in after I left you there, I'm going to kill you! Yeah, he was cute, but you know that Jace is still not over you! I don't care how sculpted he was, it's wrong! … Hello! Answer me!"

She whirled around and immediately almost dropped the papers she seemingly found from her hands. In the matter of seconds, her nearly porcelain face was the color of her top, a bright red. Somehow, he couldn't resist smiling. It was the girl from the beach. The surfing royalty's girlfriend.

She just stared, "You're not Trish."

"No," he finally chuckled. "I'm not. I suppose I could be that blond you spoke of."

"Um…" she just shielded herself from his view with the papers.

He tilted his head to the side, trying to figure out her train of thought. Did she really think by using paper that he would just disappear? He couldn't resist biting down on his lip to keep from laughing at her further. The girl was not what he expected, at all. At the beach, she seemed calm and collected, sure of herself and her boyfriend. Here, she was frazzled and a bit dorky. Complete opposites.

"I'm still here," he stated.

She peeked through the papers, "Can we pretend this never happened and you just walk through the doors again?"

He smiled. "Not necessary."

"Please don't think I'm crazy. It's been a long day."

"I hear ya on that," he agreed, stepping forward as she slid the papers down on the table beside her. "I'm Austin."

"Ally," she stated. "Welcome to Dawson's Surf Shop. Now that I've royally embarrassed myself, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Just looking for some wax," he said then picked up a can of it from the near by register. "That's all. I have a bit of a trip home, and your shop was closest to the beach."

"So you were the guy at the beach today," she squeaked. "You were really good."

"Thanks," he answered, watching as her face returned to normal and she focused on ringing him up, and not looking at him. He couldn't figure that out. He understood embarrassment quite well, but there were girls who said worse to his face? Why did she care so much? "I try. Someone told me you're Dallas Berkley's girlfriend. I'm new around here, but so I've heard he's pretty much the best there is."

She shrugged, "He's really good, but everyone's got a shot." Her expression said otherwise. She might as well have said _throw the towel in now, he's going to kick your ass._ He liked a challenge.

Austin leaned toward her, "Even me?"

Ally's face returned to the color pink. "Yeah. Even you."

"Good," he murmured, and she choked out the total. He slipped a five dollar bill her direction and he watched her take it and put it into the old register. "Thanks for the wax." He took his change, tossing it into his pocket. "Maybe I'll see you around. I'm sure I'll run into you during the competition."

"Maybe," she said quietly.

"Thanks, Ally."

She waved politely, giving him a weak smile. "Bye, Austin. Good luck."

He paused, turning back to look at her. He noticed in those moments she looked sad, drawn out and way older than she probably was. A part of him wanted to be more concerned, wonder what could make a girl that was probably close to his age look that upset. But then he realized he didn't know her, and that her boyfriend was his biggest competition in what was coming up. Why did he care about a stranger? He _shouldn't_ , and with that, he closed the door behind him.

 **Take it Out on Me**

Ally had enough with the day. It was supposed to be a simple one: morning with friends at the beach watching the try outs, lunch with that same group, then relaxing afternoon at the store cleaning up. Then, while at lunch (and playing referee constantly with the boys), she received a call from Dez's mom, Amelia Wade who was asking all shop owners on the boardwalk to come in for advertising purposes in the coming weeks. Normally, that would've been her father; but he was still away. She was next in line. There went her perfect afternoon.

It was further exhausted when Trish was late. She had gone into the back, already annoyed and worn out, ready to take the pen in her pocket and gauge herself in the eye with it, when the bell finally chimed. But no. It wasn't Trish. It was the blond surfer she was ogling over at the try outs, and despite the claim he didn't think she was crazy, she was pretty sure he did. After all, when she got into ranting mode, she often didn't stop until someone interrupted her, or she was finished.

She couldn't have been more embarrassed if she tried. Even when she tried to restore her own calmness, she felt her face heat up on more than one occasion, and the suave, young surfer she learned to be named Austin left the building with a smirk resting on his beach-like features. Ally practically slumped against the working counter, too exhausted to deal, barely making it out the door five minutes later to rush to town hall.

That was where she sat.

Beside her was the ice cream store owner and Jace's boss, who was eagerly talking her ear off about the competition—after all, it was what everyone was talking about. People saw dollar signs every time it was brought up. For her own luck, Dez's mom was late, which allowed her a moment to sip her coffee and survey the room around her. Beside them was the beach boy store, which just sold towels and different types of floats and swimming needs. There was a small restaurant owner named Maggie who clicked away on her phone, and finally, a couple other surf shops that she recognized, her stomach dropping at who was seated last, and furthest away from her.

Noah Meloni's father. Noah was another surfer in the competition and the one guy she was sure she hated all the way since elementary school until present day. He was the definition of someone's worst enemy. She supposed she should be thankful that he was not there. The thought of him made her cringe.

On that moment, the door opened and in stepped a frazzled looking redhead that she at any other time would have run across the room and greeted with a huge hug. If Dez was weird, Amelia was beyond that. At work, you'd never know, but at her house… it was like stepping into another world. She didn't mind because she always thought it was people's differences that made their world beautiful.

"Good afternoon everyone," she called out, dropping papers all over the table. "Sorry I am late. I got stuck in traffic near the beach. We're here to discuss…"

By the time the meeting was over, Ally was sure she could have collected enough papers to rebuild a small tree and was also sure that she didn't learn anything she didn't already know. Most of the time, that was what these meetings did. They were boring and repetitive, but when you owned a business in Miami Beach, you were expected to show. Thankfully, she was free and could head home, turn on her bath tub and soak the night away now. Nothing could stand in—

"Damn Ally, those shorts are _working_ for you."

She froze, closing her eyes. _Damn it_.

 _Noah_.

"Hello, Noah," she said politely, walking past the tall dirty blond male, whose smirk stretched sure across his entire face, giving his already sculpted features a more pronounced look. He was lean, but muscular and if he wasn't a complete asshole, he could've probably been attractive. He stopped her short of the door, his long arm leaning across it.

"How are you?"

"I'm good. I'm tired. Let's catch up another time."

"Oh come on," he teased, practically purring at her. _Ugh._ "I haven't gotten to see you in weeks. The shop has been _so_ busy as of late."

"I'm surprised you weren't at the try outs this morning," she deadpanned.

"Why would I be? I don't need to worry about no amateur surfer. I'm a pro."

"And I've heard enough of that," she mumbled, rolling her eyes. Was every surfer in this town some egotistical moron? She paused, silently apologizing to Theo. _Except you, Theo_. _You're the only one with sense_.

"What's that?"

"Nothing," she lied, forcing a smile. "I said I'm sure you are."

"You know this," he grinned, flicking his body forward. "So, how's Dallas?"

"He's good," she mumbled again, looking at her phone. She needed to find a way past him. "He's preparing for the competition."

"Aren't you going to ask me how I am?"

She resisted the urge to say _'I don't really care'_ but instead flashed a fake smile a second time. "How are you, Noah?"

"I'm fantastic," he crowed. "Even better now that I've seen your ass in those jeans. I gotta say, it's a miracle that Dallas lets you out of the house. With his constantly fragile ego, you'd think he'd keep you chained on a leash or something."

Did he really just say that? Ally fumed internally, but tried to keep her composure. Murdering this kid would not solve her problems, though it would probably made her bad day a little better. Instead, she glanced at her phone again, pretending that someone had texted her. "Look at that," she gasped. "I'm late for another meeting. I'll see you around, Noah."

He feigned hurt. "Oh well."

She went to leave.

"Hey, Ally!"

"Yes?" she seethed curtly.

"How's your sales?" he asked, cocking her head to the side.

Ally stormed out the door, slamming it behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for your reviews! I love the hell out of you guys and I'm so thankful for anyone who reads my stories. Like I said, its not a story that's going to happen overnight. We have a lot to go through before we will see Austin and Ally together. But, saying that, doesn't mean we won't have some interesting moments in-between to keep you on the edge of your seat. I also am really enjoying writing the surfing characters in this story, that being Dallas, Austin, Theo, and Noah because they're all similar in some ways, and different in another. It's going to be a fun time.**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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Ally's relationship with Noah wasn't always like that. She remembered a time, though distantly; when they would play together on the playground during recess, and she'd even share her cookies with him. Sometime over middle and high school, that all changed. He was ruthless these days, arrogantly proving again and again just how much more successful his father's shop was than hers. It was long since it'd hurt her seriously, but the casual digs often left her wondering 'why do you care'?

She didn't have time to worry more about Noah, as she had a date night with Dallas to attend. Quickly, she ran to her car, seeing the sky threatened some sort of shower, and dialed his number, hating that again, it'd gone to voicemail. She didn't want to show up there and he still be deep in his notebooks, comparing stats and trying to plan for something that she honestly didn't think you could plan that deeply for. He didn't have to know she thought that, though.

About midway to his house, she heard her phone vibrate and saw at a red-light that it was indeed her boyfriend. Thankfully, he confirmed they'd be heading out to a local restaurant.

She arrived to his house with minutes to spare before the sky unleashed a powerful thunderstorm, making her run to the door with hopes that she wouldn't end up fried on the ground. Letting herself in, she saw Dallas in the kitchen with a couple of his dogs, dressed impeccably. It was then she looked down at her red shorts and tank top, closing her eyes. She never changed. In the rush to make it here on time, she forgot about her morning outfit and that Dallas's idea of a local restaurant probably meant one on the water with dollar signs bigger than what the store made in a day.

"Ally," he groaned, giving her a pained expression. "You can't think you can wear that to the Amity."

He motioned to his dress shirt and khakis.

"I forgot," she admitted, shaking her head. "It's fine. I'll just head home and change, we can meet there."

"Forget it," he sneered, his expression showing his true feeling. "Today's been long enough. We'll just order in."

"I live only fifteen minutes away—" she attempted to reason. He held up a hand. With a sigh, she gave up. "What do you want to order?"

She could still remember seeing Dallas for the first time, almost two years ago. She had just graduated high school and had broken up with her boyfriend Carter, who while nice was a bit too clingy for her liking. Dez begged her to go out with him that night, spend some time on the beach at a bonfire party. He knew a lot of people were going to be there, including some of the local surfing scene. This was before Dallas was getting fame, so girls weren't as flocked to him (not to say that there were not about five girls hovering around him when Dez spotted the soon to be surfing star) as they did now. She was nervous. He was extremely attractive, very suave, and somehow everything she thought she needed in that moment.

He was carefree back then. There weren't competitions and sponsorships that could dry up at any given second. He was doing it for the fun of it, doing a few local and small competitions, where he'd met Theo, and therefore Dez. Dez thought they'd be perfect for each other. He insisted that she needed someone to level with her, not act like she was some sort of precious piece of glass that could be broken at any second. (Though Dez noted that she "was a beautiful porcelain doll that if anyone hurt, they'd be sorry".) Somehow, they seemed contradictory, but she never questioned the redhead's antics.

Dallas seemed to be that guy.

He'd excused himself almost immediately from the group of girls, taking her near the water, where they walked probably about a mile, discussing small things, unimportant things.

He called her beautiful when they stopped, standing before a small dock. He'd smiled in the moonlight, his tanned jaw line even more pronounced through the shadows, and she felt something then and there for what Theo had good-naturedly called "the pretty boy".

Looking at him now, she was searching for that.

And somehow, in the deep subconscious of her mind, she was thinking that maybe that wasn't enough.

"I want you to be more aware of my feelings," he snapped, surprising her completely. A part of her was ready to just throw something at him, storm out the door. But _damn it_ , she'd had enough of this. Didn't they just deal with one of his moods at the beach that morning? She had _enough_. She was a full grown adult, and so was he. If he thought he was going to apologize and then pull this shit again, he was dealing with the wrong girl.

"Aware of my feelings?" she growled. "Are you listening to yourself?"

"You constantly show up late, when you know I'm stressed and I have a lot on my plate. Seems like I would be correct."

Ally laughed coldly, her blood boiling. She came forward, trying to keep her emotions in check. It took a lot for her to become furious, and when she was, there was not much to hold her back. He made her this way on occasion, but usually they weren't together and one of her friends was there to calm her down. Not this time. Ally was thinking of ways she could stuff his body into a box and ship it off somewhere. Far, far away.

"You're so full of yourself it's not even funny," she growled again, pushing him on the chest. "Do you hear yourself? Do you really think you're the only person in this world who is stressed? I've been to meeting after meeting in the last few days, I'm managing a store by myself, and I have to deal with my immature, conceited boyfriend who acts like a puppy every time he doesn't get his way? So tell me, do you really think you're the only person in this world who is stressed?"

He didn't answer her at first, and she thought maybe she got through to him.

Then, he stiffened, turning his back to her. "You wouldn't understand. It's _above_ you."

Ally finally shrieked, grabbing her keys which were still warm to the touch. "That's it. Goodnight, Dallas. I hope you have a great one."

He whirled around, but Ally only saw his reflection in the tall mirror near the door. He seemed shocked, unable to believe she was still challenging him on this. "Where are you going?"

"Anywhere but here! I can be more respected by a fucking _squirrel_ on the side of the road than you!"

Without a second thought, she slammed the door.

At first, the power trip screaming at him gave her felt great. Her blood was pumping, and she drove with a clear head. That was, until she realized once again, she was alone at night with nowhere to go but back to an empty house. She quickly swerved off the road that led to the boardwalk and turned into the main beach area, down near where Dallas's house was, and if she were honest, where the nicer beaches happened to be. It was far from her stupid empty house, far from where Jace would see her storm in and of course, alert Trish… far from anyone or everyone to try and consol her and tell her again, he was an idiot, had she deserved better.

Because didn't they realize she knew that?

He was like a demon, keeping her there without her consent.

Ally slammed her car door and began the trek down the beach, stopping at the water's edge and taking a deep breath. Looking out at the ocean always calmed her, reminded her how small she really was and how big the world was around her. In a few seconds, her anger and adrenaline died, and she was sinking onto the wet sand, in those stupid red shorts and tank top that were apparently not good enough for his stupid mentality, hating herself for crying over the egotistical bastard who somehow managed to control her life.

She pumped her fists into the ground, glad the sun was just about down and no one would see her. She wondered if screaming would be too much, alert someone to her presence and decided against it. The tears slipped from her cheeks, dripping down her shivering chest and stopping as they got onto her body.

She hated this. She was tired of this life—tired of the same old, stupid song from him and how he seemed to have this control over her.

Anyone else could see it, but she always had blinders.

Somehow, though, it was never enough.

Ally's tears turned into sobs. She missed her mother more than ever these days, and she looked out into the ocean, wondering where she might be. When she picked up and left almost ten years ago, she said it was only for a little while; that she would come back and visit, share her tales of the world with her, all that she was doing for the animals in different countries. For a while, she received postcards and letters, but those soon diminished into nothing. By the time she was fourteen, she hadn't heard from her in over a year, and all the methods of contact she had with her were gone.

Just like that, her father had become truly a single parent.

It didn't mean she didn't miss her. Despite everything, Ally wished she was there most days. She wished she didn't leave the store behind, leave a young girl as second in command, taking on too much stress and still keeping a smile on her face. Because she had to; if she didn't, there would be so many more things wrong. If the façade held up, no one would question her, and she could live her life like the cheery, happy Ally Dawson everyone knew and loved. They never saw what went on behind closed doors, with the exception of Trish and Dez. No one else had any idea.

"Please don't freak out," came a quiet voice.

Ally nearly jumped off the sandy beach, and she whirled around in time to see a familiar face. _Oh for God's sake_ , she thought, closing her eyes. Today was just great. Nothing could go better.

Sarcasm was an escape.

"Are you okay?"

"Why do people ask that to people who clearly aren't okay?"

He sat down next to her. "Out of compassion?"

She rolled her eyes at his weak smile, "Sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

"I'm guessing you're not okay."

"You would guess right," she muttered.

"You're much braver out of that store," he pointed out.

"I'm furious," she stated. Before she could stop herself, she added, "My boyfriend is an idiot."

"Well, we surfers definitely aren't known for our IQs."

She laughed, shaking her head. She probably shouldn't have told him that, especially because she didn't know him and he could potentially use it against Dallas if need be. She didn't think the blond boy next to her seemed like the type, but she learned in the surfing industry not to trust anyone. Who would've thought guys on giant boards would peg against each other like children?

"Do you want company?" he finally asked, looking quickly her way. "I can leave. I just saw you looked upset and wanted to make sure you weren't about to go offer yourself to a shark or something."

"I'd rather die a million other ways than ever be eaten by a shark."

"You and me both."

"Not that I want to die," she added, looking at him with worry. Did she just make herself sound suicidal? Because she wasn't. If anything, she was more down the lines of homicidal. Dallas needed security.

"I don't either," he grinned.

Ally rolled her eyes, "You're much more at ease yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"You were practically a robot earlier at the try outs. Everyone else was surrounded by friends and when people did come up to you, you sort of blew them off." He raised his eyebrows at her and she smiled sheepishly, "Sorry. I'm a people watcher. I notice these things."

"You noticed me?"

Ally's cheeks burned, "Maybe."

"What did you think?"

She was taken back by the question, and turned her body to face his. What kind of question was that? Was he testing her, wondering what she thought about him as a surfer? That had to be it. "Well, from what I could see, you had great form. You're determined and focused, which says a lot about you as a person. That board of yours is ancient though."

He gave her another look.

"What?"

"Nothing," he chuckled. "So, you live around here?"

"Nope. I live above the surf shop," she admitted.

He raised his eyebrows, "That shop is like five miles away."

Giving in, she admitted, "I got into a fight with Dallas. Your beach is a lot closer than mine."

"I see," he said. "What did you fight about?" He was quiet for a second. "If you don't mind me asking."

She really didn't, despite the fact that everything Dallas ever told her was telling her to never tell a stranger anything about him or her because it could be dangerous. But looking at this Austin guy, who was seated beside her in a pair of worn board shorts and a tank top, his hair messily sprayed across his head, like he never washed it after the tryouts that day, she couldn't help but think he looked like he couldn't hurt a fly. Ally shrugged her shoulders, not too sure how to start, or explain. As much as she didn't care what Dallas thought, she wasn't about to tell some random (and attractive) guy about her boyfriend problems.

If he did think she was sane (and after their last two encounters, she was shocked he was even sitting next to her at all), it wouldn't be long before he went away.

"He's very conceited," she finally muttered. "And while deep down I know he's a good guy, most of the time I have trouble finding that guy these days. It's frustrating, and I'm getting tired of it."

"Why don't you just leave him?"

"I care for him," she said, knowing that was a stupid answer. Another thing held her back most days. She thought about her parents, who were supposed to be together forever. She remembered the stories they shared about their early days, and how much they loved each other. If she just walked away from Dallas, she'd be just like them. She needed to try, even if no one else understood it. Dallas was a good guy, under a lot of stress like he stated. Somehow, she just had to get him to understand he wasn't the only one. He wasn't stuck in his ways, she was sure of it. "I know that sounds dumb."

"I get it," Austin answered. "But you have to ask yourself, when does that stop being enough?"

That caught her by surprise. And the water works returned. Ally blinked, looking directly at the boy before her in the moonlight. He smiled softly, his eyes tender and gentle, something she hadn't seen in a while, sans Dez or Theo. Ally couldn't help but relax, her mind on the mend. He touched her arm, and she literally melted into his hug. And for some reason, she couldn't stop staring. What alarmed her more was the feeling in her chest. She couldn't breathe; she couldn't think, and the idea of it terrified her.

 **Take it Out on Me**

He was supposed to be headed for his nightly run (he preferred nights—no one else was around on the beach, and the darkness seemed to guide him further) when he saw a pair of headlights appear down the street, and a tiny figure come running down the sandy banks. He paused on his steps, watching as she stopped short in front of the ocean and eventually sank to the ground, quiet at first, but then loud sobs breaking her small body.

Austin looked around him. No one seemed to follow the girl, and there was no one else to come and see if she was alright. He closed his eyes; he was supposed to be focusing on the competition and it felt like more and more that day, he was thinking about a brunette girl from a surf shop (hell, he even thought the mystery girl before him looked about her size). He hadn't stopped thinking about her since he left earlier, and it was seriously starting to make his head hurt.

Girls shouldn't have that kind of mind control over him. Not when he was twenty.

Finally, he sighed and headed down the beach, knowing he could very well be punched in the face for even approaching an upset female at night. So, he was careful when he said, "Please don't freak out."

When she whirled around, clearly about to do just that, he thought he had to of fallen asleep somewhere and was in a dream. Because it was the girl from the surf shop—Ally and she looked a wreck.

By the time she calmed down (and he calmed down too), it was pitch black out and his run was a foreign thought in his head. Somehow, he ended up pulling her close a second time, after she didn't make him leave. She kept crying, tiny sobs at least now, and apologizing for it seconds later. Austin felt horrible for whatever she was going through with her boyfriend—that alone shocked him—and wished there was something she could do for the girl. A part of him wondered if there was more to the story, but he wasn't about to push a girl he hardly knew into telling him everything.

Besides, she was finally calming down and he didn't want to see her go back to the start.

Finally, he nudged her. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

Ally blinked up at him, tiny eyes coated with dried tears and stained make up. "Where?"

"No where in particular," he assured her. "I usually run on the beach at night. It's very therapeutic for me. I thought maybe it would help clear your head."

"Yeah," she said quietly after a moment, considering it. "Okay."

"Great," he grinned, hoping it would make her smile. It did. He helped her up and watched as she dusted the sand off her backside. Her very cute, perky backside. Damn it, Austin. You need to not think about these things. He tried to focus on anywhere but her behind and hoped she'd be the one to start talking this time. He didn't want to keep pushing, but something inside of him told him leaving this girl alone even now was not a good idea. And damn it, why did he care so much about her to begin with? He couldn't remember the last time any girl made him stop and actually think about her, let alone spend a few hours with her.

"Were you on your way for your run when you found me?"

He nodded, glad for the conversation to break away his thoughts. "Yep. Two miles."

"That's it?" she teased.

Austin snorted, "What are you trying to say?"

She giggled, "Nothing. I just thought someone in training would be a little more…"

"What?" he laughed, interested in how she would dig herself out of this one. She shrugged, clearly sunk in her hole and he nudged her gently, sending her falling farther than he meant. Somehow, though she didn't get mad. She laughed, pushing him back and they got used to this in those few minutes, making a game out of it until they were both breathless and barely able to stand. Ally gave one less shove, sending him flying backward, but he wouldn't have that. He pulled her down with him, and without meaning to, she ended up on top of him, face to face.

Their skin were only inches apart, and he could feel her breath tickling his neck.

He wanted to kiss her in those very moments. Nothing else came to mind.

But with only seconds to spare before he made that decision, she broke away, giving him nothing but wishes for what could've just been instead.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for your reviews! I know it's been a while, and I'm so sorry for it. I struggled for a bit with how I wanted this chapter to be laid out, and then I changed it a bit more. I ended up taking the last scene out of this chapter, and using it for the next. That said, about half of this chapter IS backstory, and in a way, the second half is the catalyst for what will happen in the next. The big time action is coming up in the next chapter... we're going to see some very interesting things come from each character in many ways. I'm really excited for it. You can expect the next chapter sometime over the next week. I won't say it'll be up by this weekend, if not by next Monday. I'm working on getting them out more often, I promise!**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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The idea was never to get this far into it. That is always easier said then done. Austin didn't mean to get involved in drugs, never meant to get addicted to them, and certainly didn't mean to end up in this jail cell, waiting for his parents to come bail him out. He sat on the cool metal bench behind the bars, watching as one of the deputies of his small town filled out paperwork that probably pertained to him. He wasn't a friendly man, not that he expected any cop to be friendly toward a teenager addicted to drugs, but hell; he was just sixteen. And as much as he didn't want to admit it, he was scared of what his parents might do when they finally arrived.

He got up, looking out toward the hallway. It wasn't supposed to happen. He and a couple friends were hanging out at a park late one night, exchanging different drugs and hoping to get high. He scored some ecstasy off this one girl who looked like she might be thirty, but probably wasn't much older than him. He also had a cocktail of different pills in his pocket, gift from the girl across from him who always wanted to hook up. (He heard a rumor that she often laced guy's drinks and was covered in STDs and even he wasn't that dumb.) Didn't mean he didn't take what she gave him.

So, when the cops pulled up and he was well on his way to being happily in the clouds, he couldn't out run them. A possession charge would not look good on his record, but that didn't seem to bother him as much as it probably should. All he could think about was how he wanted to be out of there, survive his parents' wrath, and find the next best thing. Now that the cops took his stash, he was back down to a couple of pain pills and if he were lucky, maybe someone else would want to share.

"I'm here for Austin Moon," came a voice and Austin looked up. His father was alone. As if he felt him staring, he looked his way. Austin cringed. If looks could kill, he'd be six feet under right then.

"Fill out this paperwork, Sir," the man said dully. "And we'll set up bail arrangements."

"Will this go to court?"

"Yes," the deputy stated, then paused. "There are other options, but the boy has to be willing to do them. My boss will speak to you about them in the future."

Those options included rehab, community service, and ratting out those he was with that night. The thought of doing any of the above seemed ridiculous, but when your father broke down in tears on the way home, never screaming once, asking how he failed you, you began to rethink your choices. It was only when he got home and saw his mother had already began a list of thing she was going to do, when he was going to do it, and practically outlined his entire life until the school year was over.

It didn't really matter though. Once you rat out your friends for being drug addicts and dealers, they kind of stop talking to you. When his mother said he was spending the summer with his Uncle in Miami, he practically rejoiced. Except, there were more guidelines and limitations than he would've ever wanted. Still, it was a ticket out of the small town hell hole, and a chance to get back to doing what he loved, and forgotten about: surfing.

It was safe to say that summer probably saved his life.

 **Take it Out on Me**

Ally got back to her apartment that night feeling exhausted. She was glad that shop was already closed up and that the girl working had left on time because she didn't want to explain anything to anyone. Her night had started out horrible and ended on a slightly more positive note, except for the fact that the surfing boy, Austin that she just met had tried to kiss her. It wasn't that she didn't find him attractive, or nice. As wrong as Dallas had been to her, she'd never cheat on him. She wasn't that kind of girl. Still, in the back of her mind, she couldn't hide the fact that Austin had made her feel better about herself in a couple minutes wherein her boyfriend hadn't done that in months. It was better to push that thought from her head.

She collapsed onto her bed, groaning loudly into her pillow. This was her last night home alone before her father returned and in a way, she was grateful. She'd be able to focus more on her own life and less on the store which she did not own herself. Rolling over, she glanced at the picture on her nightstand. He looked so happy in it, so carefree and like the person she remembered. Ally picked it up, holding the small frame close to her chest. She didn't allow herself to open up to this very often, but tonight, she needed the guidance of her older brother.

Jesse Dawson was one of the best surfers she'd ever seen. He was crisp in everything he did, and unlike the majority of the boys around her, he didn't gloat when he knew he was doing the best. He focused on his craft, but also took the time to have fun. He showed her everything she knew about surfing from a young age, instilled the love of the sport in her. There were videos and pictures of them together on the water, her barely able to stand on his huge board and him in the background grinning ear to ear. He was her big brother, and she was his baby sister. He was ten years older, much more mature than he probably should be for his age, or so she thought.

The thoughts of a nine year old to their nineteen year old hero were probably jaded. She never noticed when he'd disappear for hours on end, come home late at night to her parents screaming at him. Nine year olds didn't generally understand what stress could do to someone who wanted to be like Dallas was now, but simply didn't have the means or the body to do it. He was the best at one time, but as he graduated high school and tried to get into the big leagues, it was clear that he wasn't as great as she thought he was. Maybe it was all in her head, or maybe she just thought he was better because she loved him.

All she wanted to remember these days was his huge smile, and his loving heart. Even toward the end, when things were falling apart and his family was at the brick of losing it, he took the time to be with her. She'd remember that for the rest of her life.

Jesse died only a few months before his twentieth birthday. Drugs were a bitch. She never knew it back then; her parents told her he died in an accident. Technically, they were right. It was an accidental overdose.

She missed him so much on days like these. She had a suspicion that if he was still alive, he would've noticed how upset she was and come to the rescue, maybe talking some sense into Dallas and helping her with the shop. Maybe her parents would still be together, too. Instead, she had to pretend he was there, talk to a picture, and hope that somehow he was still listening. Ally hoped he was, and at least, she prayed, he was proud of her.

While Ally didn't remember falling asleep that night, she did wake up startled by the sound of her phone ringing mercilessly at her ear, before the sun was even up. She stumbled out of bed, reaching for the vibrating and lit up object, eyes narrowing when she saw who was on the caller ID through her sleep-riddled eyes. She groaned, even though he could yet to hear her, and accepted the call.

"You better be dead," she mumbled, flopping back onto the bed. "Or your house is on fire."

"Stop being so dramatic and come downstairs."

She glanced at the clock and saw it read five am. "Why? I still have three hours to sleep. You know my father is on his way back right now and he's opening the store, right? What kind of medieval horror show do you want me to partake in?"

Theo chuckled into her ear, "God, you're so dramatic when you're tired."

"Gee, I wonder why."

"Can you just put on some sweats and a tank and meet me downstairs for a run?"

Ally further groaned, "You want me to run at this hour?"

"Help me train? I didn't want to get Dez in trouble this early."

She heard the sincerity in his voice and sighed, giving in. She warned him that she was going to kill him, and then hung up the phone, somehow making it through her dark room to her closet where she put on a pair of shorts and a tank top, tossing her hair into a ponytail while struggling to find a pair of sneakers that matched. By the time she got down the stairs and into the store, Theo was pacing at the door, giving her a look of disapproval. Again, she was going to kill him. At least Trish had the decency to bring her coffee when she was asking for something that Ally didn't want to agree to.

"Good morning beautiful," he cooed when she deactivated the alarm and opened the door.

She growled at him playfully, locking it behind her. He smiled as she skirted past him, heading toward the boardwalk and hopefully the sand. He quickly caught up, edging her so that she nearly toppled into the sand. It brought back memories from the night before, and she froze almost immediately.

"What?"

"Nothing," she muttered, trying to cover her tracks. She did not want to have to explain that to anyone. "I thought I forgot to lock the door."

"Girl, get some rest," he pleaded back. "You double checked it."

She ignored the comment and smiled reassuringly at him, then began to jog on the sand. Beyond them, the sky was just starting to lighten up, giving off a haunting hue on the ocean. They wordlessly ran together for nearly a mile before Ally stopped, out of breath. It'd been a while since she actually ran with someone. Dallas preferred to run alone, and she didn't have a reason to run herself without one of the boys wanting company.

"Dawson, you're out of shape," he joked.

"You're skirting on a thin line," she teased back, shaking her head.

"I missed this," he admitted, slowing to a walk so that they could relax a moment. She relaxed, stretching as he came to a stop. Truthfully, she did too. With the exception of the last few days, she'd hardly seen any of her friends recently. She knew better than to isolate herself, but sometimes she couldn't help it. Her friends would understand, Dallas would not. Thinking about him immediately brought negative thoughts back, and she frowned, wanting to punch him almost immediately.

"I hate him."

"What?"

Ally sighed, "I don't mean that. I'm just frustrated. I mean, sans this week, when was the last time I saw you and Dez? It's not okay. I just wish I could make him understand that. I finally go against him and see you guys, and we end up in a fight. I don't want the fight, but I don't want to never see you guys again, either."

Theo walked along side of her, looking at her with sympathy. "He's no good for you, Ally. We've all been trying to tell you this."

"I know that's not true," she defended. "He does make me happy most of the time."

He didn't seem to believe this, but didn't push it.

"Can we just talk about something else?"

Before she could add something, Theo whistled. Ally didn't realize just how far they ran, considering who was standing a few feet ahead of her, bent over a surfboard. He inspected it, running a hand over the smooth surface a few times. Ally bit back a smile at her friend checking the fellow surfer out. She couldn't blame him; Austin was gorgeous.

As if he sensed he was being watched, he looked up. He met Ally's gaze first, and her face immediately heated, so she looked away. He was going to say something, and then Theo would know. It wouldn't be long before he told everyone else, and somehow, she knew this was going to be a disaster. It wasn't like she did anything wrong! She turned him down; she only hung out with him for a while. He was good company. It wasn't like she didn't have other guy friends, so why was this one different?

"Hey!" Theo called, and Ally wanted to kick him. _No! We don't call the gorgeous surfing boy over. We don't do that, Theo._

"What's up?" Austin nodded, coming their way. He didn't look at Ally, instead was focused on her drooling friend.

"You were fantastic out there yesterday," Theo practically babbled, smiling ear to ear. _Idiot_ , she thought affectionately. If only Dez could see him practically drooling over the blond boy. He'd be furious. She paused, wondering if she could use this to her advantage in the future. Before she could further the thought, Theo added, "I'm Theo Monroe. I'm one of the surfers in the competition. It's not often we see people without that much experience at your level." He gave him the winning smile that he often gave Dez when he wanted something. Oh, she could definitely use this… "But you were great. I mean that. You live around here?"

Austin seemed apprehensive about the other's compliments, not that she blamed him. You couldn't trust anyone these days, especially when egos and money were on the line. Still, Theo was the most genuine guy she knew, and she just hoped that Austin could see that.

"Nah," Austin answered, surprising Ally. They never got that far, she realized, and again, her face reddened. God, she'd almost kissed a guy she barely knew! Why hadn't he outed her yet? "I'm from the Midwest, actually. My Uncle lives here and I spend the summers with him."

"Ah, gotcha." He looked toward Ally. "Oh! By the way, this is Ally. She's a good friend of mine. Dallas Berkley is her boyfriend, but don't be scared by that. She's actually a lot cooler than him."

Austin's eyes momentarily twinkled, but then he looked at her without a flick of recognition. This confused her. Instead, he just smiled warmly in her direction, offering his hand. "I'm Austin Moon," he said, and Ally wanted to shout that she knew this, but instead played along. "Nice to meet you both. It's not often you see friendly people on this beach, I've noticed."

"Competition is tight," Theo agreed. "But I'm also a firm believer in karma. And I think it comes back around."

"Yeah, I get that."

"Ally, you're so quiet," Theo muttered, shoving her. "It's not like you."

Austin looked at her a second time. She stared back at him, quietly challenging him. He didn't budge. She folded her arms over her chest, as if she were cold, but in hopes that he also understood that she was a bit annoyed. If anyone had a reason to ignore someone, it was her. He had no right to pretend he didn't instigate last night.

"Well," Theo said, when Ally didn't answer him. "We were on a run. I guess we'll see you around the competition, man. Best of luck to you!"

"Thanks," he commented, so quietly Ally barely heard him. She resisted a smile. Good, she thought. I'm glad it's made you uncomfortable.

They ran off, and Theo finally squealed a bit, shaking her by the shoulder, "God, he is so hot. Don't you dare tell Dez I said that either, because I'll deny it up and down!"

Ally rolled her eyes, knowing she had dirt on him, and then looked back. Austin Moon was still looking her direction, and for some reason, that surprised her. _Oh well_ , she thought. It was done.

By the time they were done with their run, Ally was back to being exhausted, and practically had to drag herself along to the breakfast that Theo offered to pay for. She sat in the booth, chewing quietly next to him, while he and Dez babbled on about Theo's game plan for next week. The comment caught her attention. The competition itself was so close, and she knew that it meant that everyone would soon be losing their minds, surfers, and shop owners alike. Ally watched the two lovers lean over the table, going over some sort of paperwork that Dez pulled out, and thought about what she was going to do about Dallas.

She knew he loved her. That she was sure of, but she also knew that his flaws could be down-right betraying to her most of the time. He was full of ego, completely sure that he was the only one who mattered in the world. He also had a problem with jealousy, and not only to those who might be interested in Ally for the same reason he was. He was jealous of Trish and Cassidy half of the time! Beneath all of that, when he wasn't stressed and it was just them, he was a romantic, even goofy. She could remember when she first met him, when he first started getting recognition and was yet to be famous, just how ridiculous he could be when he wanted someone to laugh.

She smiled at the memory. She needed that back.

But right now, she knew she was going to be far from that. Especially considering she'd ignored his texts over the last twenty four hours, pretended like he didn't exist… his anger would only be worst. The difference this time happened to be that she wasn't going to let him get away with all he pulled. She was no longer a scared little girl who he could have wrapped around her finger. She was going to show him that if he wanted her, and wanted to keep her, he had to prove it.

"So, you'll be there tomorrow?"

Ally zoned back into the conversation, "What?"

Dez rolled his eyes, "Oh, Ally. I asked if you would come to my party tomorrow night."

"Party?" she snorted. "I thought you were in trouble with your mom."

"I am," he laughed, grinning ear to ear. "That's why we're having it at Theo's place. Are you coming?"

"Sure," she said easily. "I'm actually off tomorrow anyway. I guess since my dad is back, that he is trying to give me a bit of a break. I do have to run back home soon and go over paperwork with him, but other than that, these next two days are Ally relaxation days and I can't wait for it."

Theo leaned over to give her a side hug. "That's what I've been waiting to hear."

She smiled lovingly at him. "Thanks, Theo. Even though I'm still mad at you for waiting me up at five am."

Ally left soon after they were finished eating, walking the distance back to her nearly beachfront house. She was slow to enter, loving how beautiful it was out that day. When she did, she wasn't paying attention to much else other than her phone, mid text with Trish about something to do with Jace and his "stupidity", and she walked right into him.

Dallas, that is.

Ally wished she could've groaned, because that was what she wanted to do, except her father was right behind him, a huge smile on his face. He nearly pushed Dallas out of the way, who was just as surprised to see her it seemed, and barreled her into a hug. "It's my Ally girl! I missed you so much. How are you, sweetie?"

Ally laughed, "I'm fine, Dad. I think you almost threw Dallas into the boards, though."

He peered beyond him, where Dallas was standing awkwardly with an expression that she couldn't quite read on his face. He waved it off as if Mr. Dawson's excitement wasn't a problem. Of course not. He would never be rude to her father. He knew better than that. Mr. Dawson chose the response as his excuse to go back to pestering Ally, dragging her over to the counter and showing pictures of his trip. This went on for nearly ten minutes before Ally broke though, begging for a moment to process it all. "I'm glad you had a good time," she laughed. "But calm down. I'm not going anywhere."

"Actually," Dallas spoke up, looking at her with softened eyes. "I was wondering if we could maybe go out to lunch. Your favorite place?"

Oh. _Oh. Of course._ He was waiting for her father to come back, so he could gain points with him, and make himself look great. Her favorite place? He would never offer that with anyone else. She looked at him, and he shot her a weak smile. He wasn't guilty, she wasn't an idiot. He just wanted this to go away. Mr. Dawson was his sponsor, and if she was fighting with him, it would just prove difficult for the next few week's competition. Ally again wanted to groan. Why did it have to be so ridiculous? Why couldn't he do that out of his own common sense?

"I just got back from breakfast," she said, keeping her voice calm. She glanced at the clock. "It's still early. Maybe we can just go for a walk or something. Unless you're hungry, because I'll just grab a shake or something then."

He shrugged, "Whatever works for you, baby. It's your day."

God, he was really playing it thick. Her father about beamed at who he probably hoped was his one day son-in-law. "Okay. I don't care," she said simply. "I guess I'll see you later, alright?" She picked up her bag, which she had left on the counter that morning, and smiled. "We'll go over everything from the last week then. Oh! And we're expecting an order of waxes this afternoon. I thought we might go through a little more with the competition starting. It's not much, but they mentioned we might have to sign for it, so be careful."

"Gotcha. Have a good time, kids."

She smiled again at her father, and followed Dallas out into the warm air. They were only a few feet out when he looked down at her, "Did you ever plan on answering my texts?"

Ally glared at him, "Do you ever plan on getting the giant stick out of your ass?"

He immediately began to whine, "Baby, I'm stressed. You know that. But to act like I murdered your puppy or something over one little—"

"You said that yesterday morning," she countered, swiftly. "You told me that when you threw a hissy fit yesterday because you overslept. I made a mistake and you attacked me for it. I tried to reason with you, and you only managed to belittle me a few times before I left. Before you try to say something else, think about that. You being stressed is not going to be your excuse every time you do something wrong, Dallas. It can't be. I'm not taking that anymore. So, before you come back at me with some stupid ass remark, please, reconsider it one more time. Is that clear?"

He was shocked. She could tell. She carefully studied his expression over the next minute, wondering if maybe she was about to watch the return of the former mentioned remarks or if maybe he'd own up to it. Instead, he remained silent.

"Are you going to say anything?"

He sighed, "I don't know."

"You don't know what?"

He looked down at her, "I don't know why I do that."

"Please be a little more clear, would you?" she asked.

He stopped, as they walked along the boardwalk, looking at her with apprehensive eyes. "I guess it's because it's what my parents always did. My father speaks like that to my mom, and I just picked up on it, I guess."

"That's borderline lame excuse, Dallas. You're not your parents."

He shook his head, "No, I'm not but I am a product of them and I grew up thinking that way. I know I messed up, but it's not easy for me to just change how I view things. I can see you're upset, and I know that now. I'm just asking for you to work with me for a little while."

"I can do that," she assured him. "If it's not some bullshit excuse that I'm going to regret tomorrow. We're a team. I know what you're going through, and I get it. We can get through this together if you just remember that you're one of two, not one on your own. And all I ask is that you think of me in the same light. This competition is not the world, and there is more than one person in it, Dallas."


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for your reviews! God, I'm so sorry for the wait of this. Life just kicked my butt and I'm finally getting caught up in it, again. I promise it won't be as long until the next chapter, and I think you'll agree that this one was worth the wait. I love all you guys so much, and I have so many loyal people who have been with me for all three of my major chaptered stories now, and I want you to know how much I appreciate that. I also appreciate anyone who is new here and who is giving my writing a chance. I love doing this, and I love writing about our two favorite musicians, especially in a way that we haven't seen them before. I hope you guys love this as much as I do.**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

* * *

Ally wanted nothing more after her lunch with Dallas to head home and take a nap. She was truly running on fumes after her morning with Theo, and the exhaustion of trying to fix her relationship with Dallas. He continued to lay it on thick the rest of the day, even stopping to take her shopping and buy her a few new things. She didn't want that; she just wanted him to respect her. Still, he insisted and told her to take it as an apology. So, when she walked into the store door a few hours later, her father saw it as her boyfriend being the biggest gentleman ever.

"Ally! He treats you so well," he commented. "The order came by the way. Good looking out for the store. I think we'll sell through this for sure. Maybe more in the next few weeks. I'll have to keep an eye out on it."

"Good," she stated, relieved. Selling anything these days made her heart happy. "Did you find all the paperwork okay?" she continued, ignoring the comment about Dallas. They were better, but he was still not completely forgiven. She did not want to further the comments he made, give Dallas any edge that he could have, even if he didn't know it. "I tried to be as neat as possible."

"You did great, sweetie. I'm about to close up shop. I put a roast in the oven. Would you mind checking on it while I do that? I'll be up in a few minutes," he assured her. "We'll catch up over dinner."

She assured him she would, and she headed up the stairs. It was quiet in the apartment, much like it usually was. It was just her and her father these days. A few years back, they had a pet fish, but it had died one weekend when her father forgot to feed it, and Ally did too. Neither of them trusted their selves with anything more precious than that. Still, she wished for a little something more some days, as she turned of the oven and then started to fill up a bowl of salad for each of them. She hummed to herself, wishing that somehow, her family of the past could be whole again.

It had been so long since they owned a house and sat down as a group of four. In fact, that number had gone from four to three and to two in such a short period of time, Ally somehow wondered how they were both still sane. She supposed she should be thankful that both of them recovered as well as they did. In Ally's eyes, the store saved her father. He put so much work into it, he didn't have time to mourn the loss of his son, or care that his wife just picked up and left their teenage daughter behind. Ally, on the other hand, turned to the local scene where she'd met Theo one afternoon with Dez. It was the two of them who truly brought her back to where she once was.

She'd known Dez since she was in grade school with Trish, but Theo had been a surprise. Actually, Theo had walked up to her one afternoon, while Dez secretly checked out the guys around him (it was only in the coming weeks did Dez admit he might be interested in both guys and girls) and apologized for her loss. She had no idea that the young surfer had even known her brother, but it turned out to be a beautiful friendship.

The first few weeks of losing Jesse made his name a taboo in her house. She couldn't talk about him in front of her mother. She practically snapped anytime she or her father even tried. So, they just didn't. Ally watched as every trace of her older sibling's face vanished from the surfaces of their home, as every memory seemed to disappear too. Then, as she sat on the beach and got to know the lanky, smoky-eyed male before her, she was able to talk about him again.

Share her stories about their childhood, listen to Theo talk about what he'd learned from him… things that she didn't realize how much she needed in those weeks. It was healing and somehow beautiful, too. For the first time since her parents told her of his death, she felt whole again, almost as if he was watching over her.

She'd never be able to repay her friends for that.

"That smells delicious, doesn't it?"

"Delicious," she answered, repeating his sentiments softly.

Thinking about the past often brought her back there, if only for a second.

"Everything okay, AllyGator?"

She nodded, taking the salad bowls and putting them on the table. She then reached into the cabinet for glasses and hopefully the bread she'd bought a few days before. She was glad to find it had not completely spoiled yet. "I was just thinking about something."

"Anything I know?"

She hesitated. While her father did put everything into the store, she knew deep down, losing her brother and her mother did damage her father quite severely. She didn't want to rehash anything when things were not so great. She knew, as much as he said she did fantastic while he was gone, that he saw the sales report and realized they were in a bit of trouble unless the numbers went up soon. "I was just thinking about Jesse."

Lester Dawson stiffened. "What about him?"

"Just how much he would've loved seeing the competition, even if he wasn't a part of it." She figured she'd add something else, in case he got curious to why she was thinking of such a thing. "I wish Dallas could've met him. I think they would've gotten along great." Or, she thought idly, he would've kicked his ass and none of this would've happened while you were gone.

"That is true. Have you told Dallas about him?"

Ally froze this time. No, she realized, she hadn't. He wasn't over her house very often, as it was small, and though they were together for almost a year, she had never mentioned the loss of her brother. It hit her hard. Jesse had been such a big part of her life. Now that she thought of it, Dallas had never even questioned that her mother wasn't in the picture, or asked much about her past.

"No," she finally vocalized. "I guess I haven't."

"You should," he said fondly back. "He would enjoy hearing the stories, I think. Do you think Jesse would've out surfed Dallas?"

Ally snorted without meaning to, "God, I hope not. I wouldn't want to see that clash of egos."

Her father chuckled, "I think somewhere he is scoffing at your comments."

"Well, it's true," she laughed. "They both have a bit of a big head."

"I know." He sat down at the table. "I miss your brother a lot. We should talk about him more often. It's not like it's harmful to cherish his memory, Ally. I hope I never gave you that impression."

She shook her head, realizing that she was doing the same thing to him. "Not at all. I always think about him. Many days, actually. Dez is someone who brings him up a lot. He credits him to having got more into surfing and I think therefore, into Theo."

"Ahh, those two. How are they?"

"As attached as ever." She paused, giggling. "Theo and him both found one of the newbies very attractive."

He rolled his eyes. "Those two find the wandering person attractive."

"That is true, too."

"Newbie?" he realized, turning his head toward her. "You mean someone in the competition?"

"His name is Austin. His Uncle lives about five miles down the beach. I've only briefly met him, but he seemed nice enough. He's very good for someone who isn't sponsored."

"Well," her father declared. "That is good to know. I'm sure we'll see a lot of talent coming through the area in the coming weeks. Best make sure the shop is in tip top condition. You never know when opportunity might knock."

"Are you saying you might take on another sponsor?" Ally worried about this. There was a lot that went into sponsoring a surfer, and sometimes it included a big risk. It also meant hashing out money, and there obviously wasn't much of that going around. Besides those points, there was Dallas. She didn't think he would take too kindly to someone else also being on the tab at her shop. In fact, he'd probably despise it.

I don't plan on it," he answered, taking her dish as she finished up her meal. "But I'm not counting out anything as of yet. We didn't think Dallas would show up when he did, and look where it got us." He smiled warmly at a picture of himself, Ally, and Dallas on the beach from a competition a few months back. "He got us a great load of business. You also got quite a boyfriend." He motioned to the bags which she'd left near the door. "He spoils you, Ally. I'm just so glad you're happy." He kissed her on the forehead. "You deserve it. You know that, right?"

Ally smiled weakly. He had no idea. "Oh, thank you. Yes."

"I can't wait to see what this party will be like," Trish commented from the counter, her hands still attached to her latest magazine of the week. The girl turned just enough to grin mockingly at Ally, who only rolled her eyes from where she stood, pricing some items near the door.

"I just hope that no one does anything seriously embarrassing," she answered, shaking her head.

"Are you talking about Theo getting on top of the table and dancing to that nineties boy band song in his underwear from the last party?"

"Yeah, that video made it onto the internet. His parents weren't too happy about it."

"Please," she scoffed, shaking her head from where she had relaxed again. "They were more pissed that the guy dancing around him had his hands all over his body. You know how they feel about the entire scenario of Dez and all that."

"I know," she muttered. "It's ridiculous. If he's happy, why does it matter?"

"A question for our ignorant world," Trish agreed, closing the magazine. "Well, my shift is just about over. That new kid should be here any minute. Do you want me to text you when I'm ready, or are you just going to show up at my house early so we can pre game?"

"So you can pre game," she snorted. "I took your shift tomorrow, remember? I'm not going to be drinking anything more than likely. Besides, I have to meet with Dallas sometime tomorrow, too. I don't need any sort of hangover. He's been giving me enough headaches on his own."

"You know my stance there," she called, as the new guy walked into the door. "I'm not touching on it anymore. See you in a couple hours! Wear that red dress that hugs your curves. Maybe you'll find another hottie to replace dumbo at this party! God knows you should."

Ally rolled her eyes as the door swooshed closed, ignoring the curious look the young guy now behind the counter gave her. Great, she thought. Someone thought she was having problems with Dallas now that was not part of her immediate friendship circle. She eyed him back, hoping her stare was enough to warn him to keep his mouth shut. She didn't need any magazines or newspapers publishing this leading into the competition. It would only make everything worse.

"Make sure you close up the way that I taught you," she told him, hoping that Trish was right about that red dress. She hadn't worn it in a while… last time she did it was for a gala with her boyfriend and while the newspapers and magazines had gushed about her choice of clothing, it still made her a little self conscious to wear something so revealing, no matter how many people said she looked beautiful. "Thank you so much for closing tonight."

The young boy waved her off, and she headed up the stairs to her apartment, where she began her routine for the night.

Theo's family also came from a decent amount of money, though not anywhere as rich as Dallas. They were situated in a good part of town, just a few feet from the water like her apartment. Beside his house were what seemed like miles and miles of cars, and as she stepped out of the vehicle and onto the cement, she could smell an open fire and hear the laughter of reckless teenagers and young adults partying into the darkness. Trish giggled with excitement, taking her by the hand. She'd already had a wine cooler or two, and was planning on upping her game with more heavy liquor. She knew that the girl's ex was supposed to be there, and that meant that Jace would be tormented most of the night. Poor guy.

She walked along the path, admiring the landscaper's work along the house. She could hear music as they neared the backyard, and somewhere in the distance, she could hear Theo's voice above it all. He sounded like he'd already enjoyed a few beers, too. He loved to let loose when it came to a party, and when it came to one that his boyfriend was hosting, that was no different.

As if he felt their presence, the young surfer popped up beside them, grinning ear to ear. He was rosy cheeked and giggly, which meant he was more than happy already. "Girls," he murmured, hugging them both closely, to which you could smell the liquor on him. "Thank you for coming. You know where all the shit is. Help yourselves." He stopped, looking over Ally. "Man, Ally. You look hot."

"Thank you," she smiled, kissing his cheek. "You look smashed."

He chuckled, "Is it that obvious?"

"Just a little," she joked.

He sighed, "I had a fight with my parents before they left. I need to drink away what they said."

She worried as his eyes drifted off, temporarily sober. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Find me in an hour," he murmured. "Probably when I get a few more shots in me. Find Dez! He was looking for you. He invited our friend!"

"Our friend?" she asked, but he was already off, talking to some girl she recognized from the beach. Oh, Theo. He wore everything on his sleeve. She turned to mention this to Trish, but the girl was already gone, just a head full of bouncing curls in the crowd. Ally smiled ruefully. She believed she'd been just ditched by her friends.

Ally meandered through the crowds of people (how many people did her friends know?) until she found a table full of drinks, grabbing a bottle of water for herself, and then retreated to the sand to people watch. She sat like that for a little bit, seeing Trish dancing against some tall guy, while Jace looked on, looking positively distraught. She was about to get up and speak to him, tell him that she'd come around, when she spotted someone else.

Our friend, she remembered Theo say. He was alone.

Austin, that was.

He stood to the side of everyone, holding onto a beer and sipping it slowly. She took this chance to watch him, understand a bit more about him from his motions. He was a people watcher too, she realized. He was careful to where he stood, out of the way enough that no one would stumble over him, but also in the crowd just enough that no one would try to draw him out. Actually, except for Ally, obviously. Because she was on the borderline of being creepy.

With a sigh, she walked her way in his direction, figuring he owed an explanation to why he ignored her the other morning, and figured his company was better than being alone. She got about two feet before Dez came up in front of her this time, blocking her view. He smiled gently at her, kissing her cheek much like Theo did. "Beautiful, I need you to do me a favor. My lovely boyfriend misplaced something we need for a drink, and he asked me to get it from the neighbor's house. She's very friendly with him, but I am currently playing a game of beer pong, and I'm super close to winning, and I really don't want to lose. It's some sort of drink mix… would you be my best friend ever and go get it from her for me? Please."

Ally rolled her eyes. She was everyone's lackey that night, it seemed. Trish's ride. Dez's drink getter. "Fine," she huffed. "But you owe me. Who am I asking for when I knock on the door?"

"I think he said that her name was like Ashley or something."

"Okay. You're welcome."

"Thank you!" he called out, as she stalked across the sand, smiling to herself. She loved those boys, but damn it, they could be a pain in the ass. At least it gave her a few more minutes to consider what she was going to say to Austin, anyway. A part of her was afraid of what he might say. Maybe she imagined all that happened on the beach those nights ago, and he was freaked out by her. Of course, the rational part of her head knew what he tried to do, and she knew that he was in the wrong, not her. There was nothing wrong with remaining friendly with him, though. She was not the kind to hold every surfer that was not her boyfriend, or her immediate friend's under a microscope. She was not that kind of girl, at all.

By the time she reached the neighbor's house, she had decided on what she was going to say to Austin. She would politely ask him if she'd done something wrong, or if she simply gave him the wrong vibes. Depending on what he said, she'd apologize, or accept his apology, and they'd move on… share a few laughs, maybe even a beer while they discussed his game plan for the coming weeks. She was sure of how it would go as she got to the neighbor's door, knocking on it a couple times, knowing that Dez had been told that the girl was expecting them within a few minutes.

Still, she was surprised by the shuffling she heard on the other side of the door, especially considering it was a sturdy, sound proof kind of thing, it seemed. Maybe not. When the door opened though, she was in for a pleasant surprise. The goofy redhead must've gotten the name wrong, because the girl on the other side of the door happened to be the one she'd run into at Dallas's house a few weeks back… the new housekeeper… but her name wasn't Ashley, she didn't think… it was something a little more exotic.

"Ashby!" she realized, smiling a bit that she remembered. "How are you?"

"Uh… what are you doing here?" The girl seemed downright terrified by her arrival. A little overzealous for the wrong gender to show up at your door, she thought.

Still, she smiled like it wasn't a big deal. "Sorry, Dez was busy losing at beer pong, or something, so he sent me. I hope you don't mind. I think I'm supposed to get a mixer of some sort?"

Before the girl could answer, there was a sound down the hallway of the house. The girl paled further and she backed away from the door, as if to close it. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Now's not a good time," she said quickly, trying to shut the door. "Maybe you should come back later."

"What? I was told you'd have it for me. Listen, I'm sorry if I interrupted something. I just need to bring it back. You don't understand, if I come back empty handed, the boys will be pissed."

"Babe, who's at the door? I've been waiting for your hot ass for nearly five minutes," came a voice, and inside Ally realized something in those moments. She thought back to the day at Dallas's house, how Ashby rushed down the stairs, with wild hair, and her shirt barely buttoned up correctly. She closed her eyes, praying what she just thought she heard was not truly who it was. Prayed that what was coming together in her mind was not truly happening. Because the thought was making her sick to her stomach, and she hadn't even opened her eyes yet.

When she did, she thought she might fall over in shock, or something just as drastic. He didn't even seem guilty, maybe just a bit surprised to see her standing there. In nothing but a pair of boxers (a pair she'd bought him no less, for their six month anniversary) and with terrible sex hair, she felt her heart shatter when Ashby smiled lightly, and shrugged, "I said it wasn't a good time."

"You bitch," she spat, ready to take a swing at her, but Dallas interceded the two.

"Ally, can we talk about this?" he asked calmly.

He didn't even give her some lame excuse, she realized. He was seriously that low. "What?" she snarled. "Not going to tell me it's not what it looks like… that she's not here and that you love me?" She snorted, growing angrier by the second. "Fuck you, Dallas. Seriously, fuck you."

He didn't call after her, he didn't come running… the two of them just stood at the door, staring at her retreat away, all the way back to the party, while she tried to hold back tears that were threatening to spill over. She didn't want to cry over him, pretend that he didn't hurt her and that she should've expected it but she knew deep down that she didn't. A part of her truly believed that she loved him and that they'd work through this rough patch. Instead, she was left with a feeling of disgust and unworthiness of herself, and she was itching for something to take the edge of this feeling off.

Ally didn't find a bottle of liquor to do this, instead as the tears spilled over and she sobbed freely, she ran into a solid chest, one that didn't even budge when she slammed into it. He looked at her, bewildered by her expression, by her actions. In her thought processes, it seemed to make sense. She was hurt, and angry, and nothing else seemed more perfect.

He opened his mouth, and another stupid question like, "Whoa, what happened?" came out.

She pushed him against the nearest wall, and studied his features.

She was _so_ fucking hurt.

He was _so_ beautiful.

Revenge seemed sweet.

Ally kissed Austin as the party continued around her, and her world fell apart instead.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you for your reviews! Holy wow - thank you for that response. I didn't expect everything to jump that fast. Anyway, we ended on quite the cliff hanger, and I'll tell you now, you won't get to hear most of Austin's thoughts until next chapter. But... the ending of this chapter sets up something for the majority of the story that only a couple of you have guessed. I told a good friend of mine (girl you know who you are ;D) that no one is really innocent in this story, at least for a while, and you're going to see that in the characters in the next few chapters. Regardless, it's only a couple days until the start of the competition in Miami, so things are really heating up. I'll shut up and let you see what I mean, okay? :) Hehe.**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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"What the hell, Ally?" Austin snapped, pushing her off. She stumbled back, surprised that he didn't try to further her actions. Instead, he just looked downright confused and actually a bit pissed off. She blinked at him, not too sure how to answer his remark. Because… what the hell, Ally was a serious question, one that she didn't know how to answer.

"I'm sorry," she babbled, and darted off, freaking out. That felt good in the moment, but now back alone with her thoughts, she was absolutely panicked. They hadn't even technically broken up! She was no better than Dallas. Hell, she just fucked with someone's feelings, someone she knew thought she was at least worthy of being kissed (even if that was the night before). That made her pause and grow angry. He clearly had no problem the other night almost kissing her, so what changed? Ally groaned. Boys were making her freakin' head hurt.

That's when she noticed her friend stumbling toward the water, tripping over his own two feet every few seconds. Theo. She almost forgot that she'd promised him they would talk. He obviously had lost the group of people he was with, and Dez was still preoccupied with maintaining his ego in beer pong. Ally glanced behind her, noticing that Austin had not followed after her, and silently thanked someone for that. She needed to be a good friend right then, even if her own world was shattering before her.

"Theo!"

The young surfer stopped short, falling head first into the sand. He landed with an 'oomph' and Ally rushed forward, thankful that she was sober because Theo clearly was not. She was more surprised when he noticed his eyes were rimmed red, as if he'd been crying. This was worse than she thought.

"Hey Ally," he slurred. "Lit'bit tip-sy."

"Lot tipsy," she murmured back, helping him sit onto the sand. "Stay here a second. Don't go anywhere. Especially not near the water."

"Kay…"

She ran back to the party, grabbing a couple bottles of water. When she returned, Theo was lying on his back, staring at the night sky. He glanced her direction lazily, his eyes clouded with pain. She sighed, sitting down next to him, pulling him up. "You need to drink this bottle," she instructed him. "And no more alcohol. It doesn't solve anything," she added. _Kissing the guy you barely know because you were hurt doesn't solve anything either, her subconscious thought back_ , and she cringed. Later, she would deal with herself.

"What happened?" she prompted after a few moments of silence, as he downed the first bottle.

"Parents…"

"I know that," she answered gently. "Can you tell me what happened in detail?"

"Don't wanna talk 'bout it…"

"I think you'll feel better…"

"No."

"Theo," she commented. "Come on. One of us has to talk about what happened tonight."

He eyed her. Damn it. "What yo'talking bout?"

"Nothing," she muttered. "I'm an idiot, that's all."

"Not mu-Ally. She's a beautiful shining star!" he exclaimed, poking her. "Everyone loves her!"

She snorted, loving how he was talking about her as if she wasn't herself. At least he still thought highly of her. "Not everyone, Theo."

"Who?" he growled, toppling over when he tried to sit up. "I'll kick'er ass!"

Without meaning to, she added, "Who did you think?"

He was raging in seconds, somehow more sober than she would've thought, if only for a moment or two. "Dallas? I'll kick'er ass! I'll kill'em! Ally… what'd he do?"

"It's a long story," she sighed. "And I'm an idiot who is no better. Let's just say it'll all be for the best in the morning." She sighed again, realizing she was talking about herself when she really needed to be there for her friend, if he was getting this drunk over the comments that his parents made a few hours previous. She sat him up, giving him a stern look. "I love you, and I want you to know that. Right now, whatever your parents said doesn't matter. Do you understand me? I love every bit of you, and I wouldn't be the girl I am today if I did not meet you."

"You're lovely, but no…"

He sighed, leaning against her. "Sweetheart, no."

"Yes," he grumbled. "I'ma fuck'up… worthless, faggot… idiot…"

"No," she said again, taking him by the shoulders. "Do you hear me? _No._ Whatever is in your head right now isn't true. I don't give a damn what they said, do you hear me? I know who you are, Theo and I know that your friends do, too. I know that DEZ does, do you understand that? Dez Wade loves you more than anyone else in this world, and nothing will change that."

He smiled lazily, if only for a second, "Stupid redhead… so stupid."

She giggled, "Yes, that stupid redhead is ours. And I think you should talk to him tonight. Do you hear me?"

"So sleepy," he sighed. He glanced at her, eyes round and pouty. "So fucked'up."

"You're not fucked up," she told him. "We're all a little screwed in the world, Theo. But we don't go through it alone. Come on. Let's get you into your house and into bed. You're going to have a killer hangover in the morning, and I know just the thing that will cure it…"

"What's that?"

She smiled sweetly, though he had no idea what she truly meant. "A great five am run, my friend."

An hour later, and Theo was asleep in his bed, and the party downstairs was dying out. No one noticed him missing and she was glad for the chance to gather her thoughts. Hearing her friend speak so highly of her when she did not feel so great about herself only made things worse, and she sat down on his couch, shaking her head. What kind of girl discovered that her boyfriend cheated on her and goes and makes out with the nearest hot guy?

 _Did you go home?_ She quickly texted Trish, hoping the girl wasn't as drunk as her slumbering friend.

A few minutes later, she received a reply. _Yeah sorry, with Jace. I looked for you, but couldn't find you. Where'd you end up?_

 _Sorry, got distracted. Theo was a bit of a mess… so Jace, huh?_

 _Shut up, Ally._

 _Did you make up?_

 _I'm currently under his covers and he's wearing nothing but his birthday suit._

 _You dirty whore._

 _Ally_ _Dawson_ _, take that back!_

 _Oops. Sorry. Can we talk?_

 _Right now?_ She realized her friend had just hooked back up with her ex, but she really needed a girl's perspective on things, and waiting to the morning felt like a bad idea.

 _I wouldn't ask if I absolutely wasn't desperate._

 _Calling you in two. Hope all is okay._

"Yeah," she muttered. "Too bad it isn't."

"If he wakes up and I'm not in bed, I swear, Ally. I'll kill you," her best friend said a moment later when she answered the phone.

"I kissed Austin."

"What?!"

"And Dallas cheated on me…"

"WHAT?!"

The shriek on the other line probably woke half of the town, so Ally was surprised that her best friend's boyfriend, or ex, whatever didn't wake by that noise. "I fucked up. I don't know what to do."

"Back up, start at the beginning. But wait, hold on. I'm just in my bra right now, give me a second to get some clothes on and sneak outside before I wake up his roommates…"

She waited, as asked, and then sighed, starting from the beginning of the night. "I don't know what to do. I screwed up big time, and obviously neither of us did anything right. I know he was more wrong, before you say that. I understand that…"

"Ally, he cheated on you. I'm pretty sure you storming off into the night was a sure sign that you two aren't together anymore."

"But it's not like that!"

"Please don't tell me that you somehow still want to be with him, Ally. I love you, but that would be dumb as hell."

"No, I don't want to be with him anymore. I want to break his surf board in half, and then do the same to his body. But right now, that's just not possible. It's the middle of the night, and I ran off before I could even say a word to Austin. I'm not in any shape to be kissing anyone, and yet I did!"

"Well, it's late. I know you're scared and you want to fix it right now, but it's nearly two in the morning. I want you to head to bed, and call me in the morning once you've calmed down a bit. I know that's really simple for me to say, but try. Besides, you're exhausted, I'm sure. Sleep will be good for you. You did nothing wrong, Ally. I love you. Goodnight."

Her friend hung up the phone before she could say anything else, and Ally sighed. Maybe Trish was right. It would make more sense in the morning. Beside her, Theo groaned. "I'm going to be sick," he said to no one in particular, and she watched as he rushed of to the bathroom.

She got up, rolling her eyes. The morning was still a while away, unfortunately.

Ally woke up on Theo's couch the next morning, her body in a twisted position and her head pounding. She glanced at the clock and noticed she'd only gotten a few hours sleep. So much for the next day making more sense. She groaned, getting up and walking back to where Theo had fallen asleep, which was on the bathroom floor with a pillow and a blanket. For a second, she studied him… he looked peaceful and unaware of what he'd gone through yesterday, and it killed her to wake him. Yet she knew his parents would be home soon, only away for the night, and she didn't want them to find him like that. It took a minute for her to find a bottle of water and some Advil, but then she reentered the bathroom, and bent over so that she could shake his shoulder.

He groaned beneath her, shielding the light with his hand. "Ugh. It's too bright."

"It's the sunlight," she chuckled. " I can't help that."

"It burns," he growled feebly. "Make it go away."

"Sorry, sir vampire, I can't do that. Here, take these. It'll help your headache."

He opened one eye, giving her a weak smile. "Love you, Ally."

"I love you, too," she muttered, taking his hand and dragging him into a sitting position. "But it's almost ten and your parents will be home any minute, and I haven't even glanced at your backyard yet. We need to do damage control."

He shot up like a rocket but the pain of a hangover sent him back to the ground. "Fuck," he muttered. "You mean last night wasn't a bad dream?"

"Sorry, it wasn't." She bit down on her lip. "What do you remember from last night?"

He stared at the wall for a moment, then back at her. "I remember that smoking hot dress you were wearing," he said, studying the sweatpants and t shirt she'd stolen from his drawer last night while he emptied the alcohol from his stomach. "And Dez fighting with that kid for who could beat each other in beer pong. I sent him for that mixer, but I don't think he ever got it."

"And that's it?" she asked. "That's all you remember?"

"Yeah," he said sheepishly, "Why? What did I do?"

She smiled broadly, "Nothing. I promise. Just wanted to see how aware you were."

"Painfully unaware," he murmured. "And now painfully aware."

"I'll say again what I said to you last night. Whatever happened before the party started doesn't matter. Whatever they said doesn't matter. I love you, Dez loves you… a lot of people love you, and that beats out any kind of comment that was said otherwise. Do you understand me?"

She wasn't intimidating, but he nodded quickly anyway. "Yes, Ally."

"Good. Now come on. I'm sure your backyard looks like the sponsor of Red Solo Cup."

By the time she was done helping Theo clean up, it was nearly eleven and she was painfully aware that she too would have to deal with the night's actions sooner or later. And that meant, at least first, dealing with Dallas. She didn't want to, in fact she secretly hoped that he and that blonde idiot ran off together to some foreign island, making it so she never had to see him again, but things just didn't work that way. Ending their relationship would be a good first step in a better future for her.

"I'll talk to you later," she told Theo, kissing him on the cheek. "I'll call you sometime in the afternoon, so we can talk some more. Call me if anything happens before then."

He nodded solemnly, as his parents pulled up in the driveway. She snuck out the backdoor to her car, where she got in quickly in hopes she wasn't spotted. Before she went to find Dallas, she needed to find food, and maybe a cup of coffee. Trish texted her a few minutes after that, reminding her of the same things from the night before. She was better than him.

Ally stopped at a nearby coffee shop, gratefully reaching for the largest size they sold, and downing a quarter of it in seconds flat. It was only a few seconds after she set the cup down on the counter, to answer her best friend, did a shadow loom over her. She supposed he wasn't the worst person she could see right then (there were two boys above him on the current list) but she wasn't exactly thrilled to see Noah standing next to her, a smirk clearly spread across his face.

He waved, and knocked her coffee over, spilling it all over the ground, and onto her shoes. She jumped back so that it couldn't further burn her body.

"You asshole!"

"Such language," he teased, smirking as she gathered napkins to clean up the mess. "How are you, Ally? You seem a bit frazzled."

"There is coffee all over the floor, hot coffee that you could've burned me with."

"It was an accident," he feigned. "You're very jumpy this morning. Did something happen last night?"

Ally froze in spot. "No," she then calmly stated. "I was with Theo last night. He had a party. And a little too much to drink." _Sorry_ , she thought to her hung-over friend. _You're my fallback during this. I'll make it up to you later_. "So, nothing all that exciting. Unless you like watching people puke their guts into a toilet bowl. And with you, that wouldn't surprise me."

He leaned forward, fast enough that it caught her off guard. "Cut the shit, Ally. I know."

Her heart hammered in her chest at his words. Know what? So many things happened last night and she was scared to know which he actually knew of. "Know what?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You're really going to play dumb now, aren't you?"

"I have to go, Noah." She stepped around him. "Goodbye."

"I'll tell him!"

That froze her a second time, and she swirled on her heel, glaring at his chest. "What?"

"I'll tell Dallas that you kissed Austin," he replied, calmly. "Do you want that?"

She wanted to say it didn't matter, because they were over, but that was none of his business. "Whatever, asshole. It doesn't matter anymore. Tell him. It doesn't bother me any. We're over."

"Sure you are," he called out, and she hurried back over in case there were people listening who knew who she was. Miami was a large town, but the people there also knew a lot about surfing, and therefore Dallas. "I'd think about that before you actually broke up with him."

"Excuse me?" she spat. "What the hell does that mean?"

He tilted his head to the side, and pulled out his wallet. In those moment, he began to count his cash in front of her. "What does this mean to you?" he asked.

She had no idea what it meant. "It means you're an idiot who is wasting my time."

"Touché, Ally. Play nice."

"Tell me what you're talking about, or I swear to God, Noah."

He chuckled again, shaking his head. "So impatient. Think about it. I have all this money in my hands, Ally. I just watched you count change to pay for your coffee. I don't think most people are doing that, now are they?" he paused, giving her another cruel smile. "The competition hasn't even started yet, and you guys are barely making it in that dump you call a surf shop. If you break up with Dallas, you lose that and more. Do you want to do that to your poor father?" he tilted his head again, smiling creepily ear to ear. "What would he do then? No wife… no son… his daughter is a cheating whore… just exactly what would he do?"

She didn't mean to tear up, and for a second, it seemed to catch him by surprise. Then, he was back to taunting her, grinning like some sort of crazy person. "I fucking don't know why any of this matters to you," she growled, not giving him the satisfaction of answering his previous questions. "That would make your year, wouldn't it? To see our shop go down. You would get all the profits. Just let me break up with him…"

"You won't do that," he laughed. "You need that. You know you do."

"So what do you want?" she snapped. "I have things to do."

"I have a suggestion for my silence," he proposed. Of course he did. This kid was the worst person she'd ever met.

"And that is?" She wanted to punch him. To hurt him for even making her consider what he was about to tell her. But the more she thought about what the jerk was saying, the more she knew he was right. Their shop was barely staying afloat as it was… a break up just before the competition would just prove for their demise. At least until it was over, she had to stay with the disgusting piece of crap that she once believed she loved.

"I want his notes. I want anything he uses to further himself. I want you to get them for me, and I am going to kick his ass in this competition. You're going to help me do that."

"You want me to help you cheat?" she spat.

"That's exactly it," he said. "But it's not really cheating because honestly, he's one person. It's like getting a slight advantage. There is still others to worry about, your precious Theo for example."

"You leave him out of this," she growled.

"Don't worry, I will. He doesn't concern me. So… do we have a deal? Your boyfriend's notes for my silence?"

She wanted to burn a hole into his big, stupid skull with her eyes. Instead, she merely nodded her head, knowing she had no other choice. Ally had just made a deal with who she considered the devil. "I'll do it," she muttered, hating each word as it left her mouth.

"Glad we had this talk, AllyGator," he cooed, ruffling her hair as he swiftly moved past her. "Good luck with Dallas. I'm sure you'll have a great afternoon with him!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you for your reviews! Hello, is anyone there? I AM SO SORRY for the wait of this chapter. I can list a thousand reasons why that it is late, but none of them matter. I truly just appreciate everyone waiting so patiently, and I promise to update on a better schedule now. :) This chapter is a bit slow, but it sets up what happens in the next couple, so I hope you all are excited. And finally, for the review about Ally being naïve, it's more than that. When you're faced with a situation that is scary, sometimes your mind doesn't go for the most logical answer. So, no, she's not naïve. Well, she is, but she's also not thinking clearly (no sleep, having been up with Theo, etc.) and she's worried for her father, and her own livelihood, which in my eyes, is understandable. ANYWAY, here's the new chapter. :)**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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Ally sat outside of Dallas's million dollar home for almost a half an hour before she had the nerve to exit and say what she'd been thinking of over the time that passed. She was terrified, partly because of her encounter and deal with Noah, and mainly because of what she saw last night. Every part of her being hated Dallas and she feared seeing him would counter anything she'd worked toward in the last twenty four hours, but when she let herself in, she knew she had to be strong. Dissolving into tears or punching him in the face would help no one. She had to channel her inner Trish, and stand tall. Well, metaphorically, of course. Trish was far from tall.

She was getting off track.

Her entire life revolved around him still wanting to be with her, even if she didn't want to be with him. She knew her father would understand if she went to him and told him what happened, but that wasn't what concerned her. Of course he'd understand, but the shop and customers wouldn't. The few customers that were loyal to their shop because of her boyfriend would soon be gone, and there was no money coming in otherwise. She couldn't do that to him. The shop was his life. It was the only thing, sans herself, that he still had. She couldn't take that from him. Maybe they'd build up a stronger cliental over the next few weeks and when the competition was over, she'd be able to tell him the truth. Until then, she was stuck with scum as her boyfriend.

Much to her surprise the house was silent, even as she made her way up the stairs. She feared knocking on his door when she got to it, afraid that she'd find him naked under the sheets with that blonde girl from her nightmares. What would she do then? Who was to say that Dallas didn't already think they were broken up, and would be happy to stay that way? She tried to find purpose in that he wasn't that kind of guy; a part of her secretly knew that if he could string along two girls at once, and keep doing it, that he would gladly.

When she did knock on his door she was surprised to find him alone, sitting at his desk with his head over his notes. She needed those she remembered and waited for him to turn around to see who he'd just allowed to enter.

 _It's not too late to turn around_ , she reminded herself.

"Who is it?" came his voice, frazzled and stressed. Of course. She glanced at the calendar on the wall. The competition started in two days. He was officially in panic mode.

"It's Ally," she stated softly, carefully gauging his reaction. "Can we talk?"

He whirled around like she offered him money, and was surprised to see guilt in his features, if only for a few seconds. Then, he relaxed a bit and nodded. "I was going to call you."

 _You should've called me the second I ran off_ , she thought bitterly. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. Ally, I promised you something less than a day before that and I only added to the insult that I already started."

She made a face. That was his apology? "I thought I make you happy. I thought I was the only one you wanted by your side," she decided to say next, knowing if she laid it on thick, he'd be more likely to bend, and hopefully more off his guard. The notes behind him sat alone, and she needed those regardless if this ended disastrously. "Why would you do that to me?"

"I…" he trailed off. "Nevermind. You told me not to say that."

"Say what?" she demanded, curious. "What did I say not to say?"

"That I was stressed," he admitted. "That I did it out of stress, and I should have never put my hands on her."

 _Stress_ , she thought, _what a load of shit_. Austin appeared in her head, his surprise when she kissed him. Maybe saying stress couldn't do crazy things was wrong, after all. Maybe even anger. Had she made Dallas angry? Maybe this was all her fault after all. What would she tell Dallas if he asked about him? She had no idea. Her strong front started to crumble, but she forced out, "That's just not good enough."

He nodded, "I know that. God, Ally. I don't know what to do. I just know I don't want to lose you, and I'm scared. I'm truly scared and I don't … get scared. Please tell me you're not here to break up with me." She relaxed finally, hearing those words. _You should be thanking a disgusting piece of crap named Noah_ , she thought, trying to bite back what she wanted to really say. Scream at him about how if he was scared and afraid to lose her, he should've never slept with someone else! That he should've appreciated what he had, but none of that mattered. She had to pretend this was all something worthwhile.

Ally tilted her head to the side, letting her eyes well up with real tears, though he didn't know the reason behind them. "How can you say you love me and then do that?" It scared her how well of an actress she was even as her will was crumbling. She was never able to do this before. "How can you do that to me? Tell me why I shouldn't break up with you!"

He got up, rushed over to her and wrapped his arms around her body. He gripped her into the weirdest feeling hug she could ever remember. The first thing that came to mind was to push him off, but she pretended she needed him and clung to his body, "I'm so sorry, Ally. I'm so sorry. What can I do? How do I make it right?"

She questioned his motives behind this. What did he really have to lose in losing her? The shop's sponsorship? Or his pride? Maybe covers of magazines not wanting to flaunt someone who was a cheater on their papers? None of them seemed worth keeping someone around. Did it really come back to his own want and hopes for as many girls as possible? It had to be some kind of thrill for him to keep two around.

Then, a little voice came into her head. Maybe he really did mean this. Maybe her hurt that night scared him enough to change him. Deep down, she didn't think that Dallas was completely evil, maybe just seriously flawed, but not incapable of change. He would have to want to, something would have to push him. Was she the push he needed? Could it all be that simple? As he gripped onto her, squeezing her tighter and tighter, telling her she was beautiful and he was sorry over and over again, she tried to remember how it felt seeing the girl standing in the doorway, seeing him in those damn boxers. Her naïve side was trying to win out, but the angry vixen on the other was saying she should kick him where it hurt and run while she still could.

Instead, she pulled him closer, whispering that she understood, that they would work things out.

He pushed away gently, looking at her with welled eyes, "Really? You're going to give me another chance?"

She nodded, giving him a weak smile. "Against my better judgment, I am. I love you, Dallas. For some reason, I can't get over that. Maybe I shouldn't, but I do."

He smiled, grin spreading ear to ear, like he was just told that everyone else had bowed out of the competition and they were awarding him the prize. Her stomach dropped. The prize.

"I love you so much, Ally! So, so much! I'm going to make this up to you." He glanced around him. "Wait here. I'm going to get something from downstairs. I'll be right back." He paused, running forward to kiss her cheek. He just laughed, "God, I love you!"

Ally watched him go, waited until she heard him barreling down the stairs, and then looked through his notes, trying to decide what Noah might want. She couldn't exactly rip out a few pages and hope he wouldn't notice. And she couldn't take a picture and hope that he would believe they truly were his notes. Noah wasn't an idiot, and he'd want the real deal. She just prayed that her boyfriend was so enthralled in what just happened that she wouldn't notice his notebook being gone as she slipped it into her bag. Seconds later, he came back into the room, holding a small box.

Jewelry, she realized. "It's for you," he said, looking small suddenly. "I was hoping you would come by, so I could give you it. Consider it the first part of a very long list of me apologizing and proving to you that I love you."

He grinned again and she took it out of his hands, opening it slowly because she knew that money was no object to him and it was probably expensive. Just as she thought, a tiny chain held onto a beautiful glimmering heart, one that when she flipped it over said her name. She glanced up at him, not lying when she stated, "It's beautiful."

He took a deep breath and then exhaled, "You like it?"

"I love it, thank you." She looked around. "Do you have maybe a slightly bigger box or something I can put it in. I don't want to lose it."

"You're not going to put it on now?" he asked feebly. "I hoped you would."

She didn't want to accept such a beautiful gift, especially when she knew it was bought out of something so terrible. But how could she pretend she still cared for him if she didn't? Dallas put his hand up. "Wait! Let me grab that little mirror from the other room."

He rushed out of the room again, and she was hit another time with how sincere he seemed to be acting. A part of he knew better, but the little voice in her head which told her to trust people kept saying that sometimes it took such a hard event to change someone. She was almost believing it when she heard his phone vibrate beside her, and curiosity took over. The idiot wasn't even smart enough to conceal his messages from someone.

On the top of the phone messages, she saw a name.

Ashby (imessage)

 _We still on for tonight? :* I can't wait to show you how you really treat a man._

Her hands curled in a fist over the necklace box, wanting to snap it into pieces. Dallas came back into the room as the phone went dark, still grinning like he'd won the lottery. He held up the mirror as she swallowed the bile in her throat, trying to keep herself from snapping. He grabbed his phone, saying something about taking a picture. First, she noticed him read the message though, and the smile changed momentarily from one of excitement to one of lust. It was brief, and if she didn't know him, she wouldn't have noticed it. In those seconds, she realized he truly did not change and this was all a game to him. A game she was stuck in, whether she liked it or not.

"You have to promise not to tell the boys. Actually, not to tell anyone," Ally begged Trish over coffee an hour later, pleading with the raven-haired girl who hadn't stopped raising her eyebrows since they sat down moments ago. "Please. If you tell Theo or Dez, they'll go after him. They won't be able to stop themselves. Please, keep it to yourself. It's easier that way."

She spun the stirrer in her drink, observing Ally with suspicious eyes. "I don't understand, Ally. You're better than this."

"I need this for my family." She took a sip of her latte and shook her head. The chatter of the other patrons around them drowned out the voice in her head, if only momentarily. It all made sense for now. "I wouldn't expect you to understand, Trish."

She angrily shook her head, curls flying in every direction. Studying her annoyed friend, she wondered how the girl looked so put together considering she was at the party the night before. Sure, it was practically evening but Ally had not even been home yet. She felt like this was the never ending day. Her friends sharp tone reminded her she was still there, "Don't give me that crap, Ally. You know more than anyone that we went through a rough patch at my house too, after my dad got out of the service. I know what it means to struggle." She took a deep breath. "I just don't understand why you think doing things this way is the only way. You could figure something else out."

"Yeah, like what?" she muttered.

"I don't know," Trish countered, dropping her napkin. "But you deserve better than this. You are better than this."

"Are you going to tell them or not?"

The Latina girl sighed, "No. I'm not. Because I don't want to see Theo hurt himself, or someone else and get himself disqualified this close to the competition. But I am not for this, and I don't like it one bit. What are you going to tell Austin, anyway? Do you realize what you started there?"

Ally hadn't thought too much about Austin since leaving Dallas's house. She'd been forced to pretend with him for another half hour, pretend that all was fine, or on it's way to it, and not that she was secretly wishing she could tear the smile off his face. That took more energy than she realized, and it gave her a break from her other mishap of the night. Austin Moon. "He didn't seem all that pleased about the kiss," she remembered. "So, hopefully he'll just avoid me and it'll all be fine." Everything was all fine. It would all be fine.

Right?

"And your plans if he wants answers?"

"Tell him I was drunk and it was a mistake."

Trish shook her head another time, "That's something I'd do. Normally, I'd be proud. But I don't know."

She smiled feebly. "You always said you wanted me to be more like you, Trish."

"Yeah, well…"

"I… I… Thank you, alright? I know you don't like it, but I appreciate that you trust me."

Trish smiled. "You're my best friend, Ally."

"Yeah, I know."

Ally knew that what she was telling Trish was wrong, but she couldn't herself from doing exactly what she spoke. She ended up leaving her friend within the hour, knowing that meeting Noah at the beach for the handoff was a little more important than complaining about the things in her life that she caused. She did not trust the surfing former friend of hers, and did not want to give him any reason to change his mind and unravel all that she had just done.

She took a deep breath, observing her surroundings. This was a nice part of Miami Beach, one of the richer areas. Her former friend's store was just down the road and she was glad for the view which gave her more time to prepare.

"Early, are we?"

Or not.

Ally turned around to see Noah sauntering her way, holding a bottle of water and his cell phone. She saw his car parked in the lot a few feet away; she could only assume he just returned from the gym. Because the competition was two days away, of course. The boys were completely in competition mode now.

"Let's just do this. I have things to do."

"What's the rush, Ally?" he teased, turning his head to the side. He shoved his phone into the pocket of his workout shorts, and came up close beside her. Towering over her, he continued his raid of her space. "You look a bit nervous. Worried that your boyfriend is going to show up?"

She wanted to say not at all. He's out fucking with some blonde. But adding fuel to Noah's fire was less than needed. "I have to get home. So do you want the papers, or not?"

She revealed the notes that were in her hands to him and his eyes bulged a little. For a moment, neither of them said anything as she retrieved them into clear view, carefully inspecting the pages to make sure everything was there. Finally, he cleared his throat, and she watched his demeanor change in seconds.

"You're worse than I thought," he snorted coldly.

Ally glanced back down at the papers, and back at him. Did he think they were faked? Did he really think she'd do that when she had so much on the line? She shoved the papers his direction and then folded her arms, watching as they cascaded onto the sand before her. He just stood there shaking his head, looking more in shock than anything else.

"Do you want them or not?" she snapped.

He broke out of his trance and eyed her. "I can't believe you did this. No, I don't want them. I don't _need_ them." He picked up the papers and tore them to shreds, laughing coldly at her when her eyes went like saucers. "You are one cold little bitch. I can't believe my nice little Ally would betray someone so easily. You really would do that to your boyfriend of all these years for me? Does loyalty mean nothing to you?"

"What do you mean?"

She didn't understand. He wanted to win, didn't he? She had all of Dallas's notes, and he'd just destroyed them.

"You broke so easily, Ally. You're easy," he repeated, grinning ear to ear. "I remember you being shy, but never a sheep. You just followed the herd like it's the only way." He smirked down at her, eyes wild. "Sweet little Ally… not anymore, am I right? Wow."

"What the fuck?" she growled, picking up the pieces and crumbling them angrily. "You told me to get the papers, and I did. Listen, if you don't want them, I'll get whatever else you need. Just stop this fucking game, and let it go."

"There is no game, Allison. There is just you, and me. The fact is that when it comes down to it, the only thing that matters here is you at the end of the day. You went and got me something just because I threatened you. I bet you didn't even think twice, did you?" He snorted, taking his keys out. "Good job, Ally. I actually thought you better than that. Good luck in the competition, though I'm sure that's the last thing on your mind."

Ally's head swam as he began to walk away, and in desperation, she called out, "What about our deal? Are you going to tell him?"

He paused, turning on his heel. "No. At least, not right now. Because one of us is a decent person." His smile returned, taunting her from the distance. "Goodnight, Ally. Sleep well."


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you for your reviews! I am again so sorry for the wait of this chapter. This semester in college is kicking my ass and it's leaving me very little time to write, or do anything I enjoy for that matter. I hope you guys forgive me, and please stick with this story. Summer vacation is a little over three weeks away for me, and I really do plan on getting back into a more definite schedule when it comes to updating. You all are awesome, and I hope you enjoy this update.**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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Crawling under her skin, Ally searched for something to relieve the ache she currently felt. Angry, hurt, and confused, she drove back to her house, glad her father was on some sort of business run, and one of the new cashiers was inside. She simply ran upstairs, changed into a wetsuit, and grabbed something out of her closet she hadn't used in months.

At the base of the store, the new cashier called out to her, "But Ally, it's almost dusk!"

Ally ignored him. He was nice, but he didn't know her and in her mind, he had no right to stop her. She ran the distance to the water, angrily throwing down the object in her hands. She stared at it, suddenly haunted by the long, worn board. Tears formed in her eyes at the buff marks that never came out, the scratches and missing paint… it was a piece of him. One of the few pieces she had left. She attached the safety string to her leg and glanced out at the water.

The waves were decent that day. No one else seemed to be around, except for a couple people milling about on the edge of the ocean, walking or reading books. Good. No one would be annoyed with her late afternoon decision. She tore into the chilly water, throwing her brother's board down; listening to it hit the salt water with a loud smack. She swallowed a pint of air, and pushed forward, going against the waves until she was out far enough to only be rocking back and forth on top of it.

Somewhere in the back of her head, she could hear her brother yelling at her. She knew better than swimming or surfing at dusk. There were several threats, besides the well known shark feeding time. Boats couldn't see you very well either, and the reflection of the sun only made it worse for trying to see the land from where you sat. But she didn't care. There were few things that she could do these days and not feel judged, and this was one of them. She glanced behind her, seeing a decent wave coming up, and prayed she wasn't that out of practice. Jesse had taught her a lot, but she was never a natural like him.

And it wasn't often she came out here anymore. Dallas didn't like that his girlfriend could surf, too.

The thought of his name sent a further rush of anger through her, and she quickly crouched on her feet, waiting to ride the wave in.

The problem was that the wave was bigger than she thought. It took a minute to gauge it, and by the time she was on top of it, she remembered why Jesse often laughed at her. She road it maybe for a minute, before succumbing to the crash of the water. Angered by her foolishness, she road back out into the open ocean, waiting for another wave. This continued for several minutes, some better than others – consider it like riding a bike, eventually you have to pick it back up. Perhaps that was why she thought she could ride the large wave that sat behind her. She saw it from a distance, thought she had it in her – after all, she was Jesse's little sister, and his little sister could ride any wave she put her mind to.

Right?

Ally got back on top of the board, and waited. She eyed it one last time behind her, and silently hoped she was right.

Her ego won the fight, though her body did not. The wave hit her like a brick and she didn't even remember getting to full body stance on the board, instead crashing beneath the large wave, her head being slammed by the edge of the board. It all went fuzzy and she tried to push for the surface, but she couldn't find her bearings. Ally cursed herself as the water pushed her further under, and further back. She couldn't do anything right. She was warned and she did it anyway.

Then, there was something grabbing onto her. In her fear and hurt, she thought maybe she'd hit all three: being an idiot, surfing at dusk, and now, a shark. Hopefully it would swallow her in one piece, and she wouldn't feel that much pain. She opened her eyes to meet her taker, and was surprised to see a mop of blond instead. The person kicked them to the surface, and Ally gasped as she was able to breath again. She was still too weak as he pulled them all the way back to shore, the waves all huge now, and trying to keep them at the sea. By the time they reached the sand, not only was she exhausted, but her savior was too.

Ally coughed, trying to expel the last of the water from her lungs. She'd never come that close to drowning before.

In the wilting sun, she could see his face clearly. Austin Moon saved her.

He was panting, trying to push the hair that was now plastered to his face from it, and only then did she see him stare at her. His eyes were sharp, somewhat filled with confusion, but mainly worry.

"Are you insane?" he muttered, spitting salt water from his own mouth. "You do realize the dangers of surfing in that kind of shit, right?"

"I wasn't thinking clearly," she said lamely.

He rolled his eyes, "Clearly."

Austin sat up, still staring at her.

"You have one hell of a kick, by the way."

Ally then saw a bruise forming on his stomach (hello abs) that she assumed must've been from her. She sheepishly looked away, embarrassed and sorry for her attempt at removing the anger from her body. "I thought you were a shark."

"What?" he muttered. "Good God."

"Sorry," she muttered. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking – it's been a really long, bad day. I promise you won't find me in the water again."

"Shame," he said after a moment. He looked at her with a tiny smile. "The waves you did catch were good. I didn't even know you surfed." Ally bit back surprise… how long had he been watching her in the water? She never saw him, but then again, she didn't see much but the board in front of her.

"Yeah," she said quietly. "But not in years. I'm out of practice." She sighed. "I guess there is a lot you wouldn't know about me."

"Yes," he answered, giving her another look. "Do you usually like to maul strangers? I mean today you kicked me and the other night you assaulted me with your lips." His tone did not match his teasing expression, so she wasn't sure how to answer. She could feel the blush creeping back into her cheeks, and she focused on trying to get the safety band off her ankle instead of answering him. He continued, "We don't have to talk about it. I get it."

You don't, she thought, but looked up relieved. "I appreciate that."

"I know how you feel about asking if someone is okay, so I won't do that either." He brushed some sand off his drying ankles. Ally took this time to admire his body again; he was super toned in all of the right places, with a perfect tan that definitely wasn't from a bottle. Holy hotness. No wonder her friends were absolutely falling over him. He was pretty much perfect. "But I don't do silence well either. So…"

Ally searched for a conversation that wouldn't end them in danger. She smiled. "Wanna go for a walk?"

"Sure," he answered, helping her stand and following her down to the shack, where she left her board. Thankfully, because it was getting dark, not too many were around and could question her on what had happened. She followed the blond surfer back to the sand and they began the trek down the beach. Again she found herself without a topic, and looked to him for some sort of help. He stared at her.

"How are you for the competition? It's only two days away."

He shrugged his shoulders, though she could tell the casual gesture was only to show off. "I'm ready."

"Yeah?" she asked. "It must be hard being the newcomer here. A lot of established faces and all that."

He nodded, "True. Like your boyfriend."

She looked down, knowing there was a double sword in that statement. As much as they didn't talk about the kiss, it always seemed to come back to it. It was wrong of her to be with another competition member, even if she felt the way she did. How would it look if someone did see them together? Better yet, did she care? Dallas clearly didn't, and without proof… she stopped thinking about it. Getting inside of her head was not something she should do while having a conversation with someone like Austin. "Yeah."

"And that guy from the party. Theo?"

"Theo," she grinned, glad for the escape. "Yeah. He's pretty good."

"Pretty good?" Austin countered. "I watched him a few nights ago. He's incredible."

"I try not to feed his ego," she laughed, slowing when Austin did to glance out at the ocean. He didn't say anything as the waves rippled into the coming darkness, simply admired the view until Ally cleared her throat. "I love it here. I think that's part of the reason that I stay sane on hard days. One look out at the ocean and I'm reminded of my place in the world."

Austin quickly agreed, "It makes you feel small. I think we all need a healthy dose of that from time to time."

"Some more than others," she muttered without thinking.

Austin turned to her. "Okay, I said I wouldn't make you talk about something that you didn't want to, but you are clearly struggling with something right now. I won't force you to talk about it, but I want you to know I'm a great listener." He smiled gently, though she could see some humor beyond that.

She didn't want to talk about it, especially not with Austin. Especially not when she brought him into this mess, unwillingly. What would happen if her boyfriend found out she kissed him? He would find a way to blame it on the fellow surfer, never believe that Ally took charge and decided to play just as dirty. A quick sigh escaped her throat, and she sat down on the damp sand, going back to watching the waves. She needed to tell someone, someone who didn't have an opinion of Dallas yet, at least one that wouldn't immediately give the same response of her friend's.

"Do you ever wish you could erase a few days of your life? To go back and start over?" she asked bitterly. "I have been feeling like that for the last week or so."

"Of course," he chuckled. "But I think I've had moments where I could erase entire months. Maybe even a year."

Ally shot him a look, but he didn't allude to anything further. "I am looking at a very unsure future right now and it scares the hell out of me."

"Safety is but that of an illusion," Austin stated. "Anyone who thinks their future is set in stone has not planned for true bumps or road blocks. It's impossible to do that with certainty."

"You sound like a self help book," she muttered.

Austin's eyes darkened, "Not exactly, but you're close enough. My point is that you shouldn't let it worry you too much. People who think they have it all together don't even have it together. That said, it's usually the ones who don't have it all together all the time who end up with the biggest successes." He nudged her shoulder, giving her a weak smile. "Hang in there. Whatever you're going through will get better in time."

"I hope so."

"And if you feel the need to hit the waves, for the love of God, please don't do it alone."

Before she could stop herself, she laughed, "Why? I could get used to someone like you saving me."

They both stopped at the comment, and Ally wasn't sure whose cheeks and ears went pink first. She turned her head, feeling a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. Then, she forced herself to ignore it and quickly stood up, dusting the sand off her a second time since walking with Austin. "Well. I better get home. We have a lot to do at the shop in the coming days, and we recently lost an employee. I need to help my father."

Austin stood up, following her. "Yeah. I probably should get home too. My Uncle Crash will start to worry. He thinks I train too hard." She was glad he ignored the comment from before.

"Uncle Crash, huh?" she giggled.

"Yeah; don't take the name literally. He was a beast back in his day in the water. I know I wouldn't have wanted to face him."

"Well. Goodnight," she called, walking back toward the shop, where she could see lights both on upstairs and down in the actual store. "And good luck, if I don't see you. I'm sure you're going to kick ass yourself."

He grinned and Ally felt a pang in her heart. "Yeah. Hopefully."

 **Take it Out on Me**

The next morning, Ally awoke to her phone buzzing in her ear and knew almost immediately who it was before she even glanced at the brightly lit screen. Swiping right, she growled into the phone, "Damn it, Theo. I just want one day to sleep in."

He chuckled back at her. "Come on downstairs. I brought breakfast this time."

"Are you trying to win me over with food?" she paused. "Okay maybe you win. Let me get dressed. I don't understand why you can't drag someone else with you this early."

"No one loves me as much," he chirped, hanging up the phone. She smiled, shaking her head as she dragged her body from the warm, cozy bed. She did love Theo more than most people, but that didn't mean she loved training with him. Still, she remembered how she left him the other day, and knew he was probably still struggling a bit. A morning with Ally would do both of them some good. So, she threw on another pair of shorts and a tank top, tossed her tangled mess of hair into a ponytail, and grabbed a bottle of water before heading down the stairs.

Theo sat on the floor outside of her shop, eating some sort of breakfast sandwich. It was much healthier than the ones you would find at a gas station or a fast food place, though. She took hers with caution, wondering what kind of sandwich hers would be. Inside, she saw egg whites, a cheese, and some sort of vegetable, probably a type of green. He also had a small cup of coffee.

"Morning," he said with a mouth full of flood. She sat down next to him.

"Morning," she answered, taking a bite of the sandwich, surprised to find it flavorful. "This isn't bad. I'm shocked."

"I made it," he countered, eyeing her. "Of course it's good. Homemade is always good."

"I'm not so sure about that," she laughed. "But thank you."

"I figured if I showed up without anything this time, you might offer me to the sharks." She froze at the comment, as it immediately reminded her of her encounter with Austin the night before. Biting on her lip, she tried to focus elsewhere. "Ally?"

"Sorry." She yawned for effect. "I'm not up yet. I need that coffee."

"Two shots of vanilla, and a little milk. Just as sickeningly sweet as you like it."

She smiled fondly. "Thank you. I'm sure my dentist will thank you one day, too."

He snorted, taking a sip of his own black drink. "So."

"So?"

"I saw you with Austin last night."

She nearly choked on her healthy sandwich and turned to face him with wide eyes. "What are you talking about? I wasn't with Austin last night. I was helping with packing out in the store!"

"Your voice is rising," he laughed. "God, I love that it's so easy to catch you in a lie." He turned to grin at her. "You're acting like I'm mad about it or something. The dude is all kinds of gorgeous. Please tell me you've decided to dump Dallas and jump on that hot piece of meat."

"He's a human being, Theo. Not an animal."

"That's debatable until you get him into bed."

"Oh my God!"

He simply took a bite of his own breakfast. "So? Do you want to get him in bed?"

"No," she said too quickly, and just rolled her eyes. "He saw me surfing; I took a really bad wave. He was just making sure I was okay."

"You were surfing?" His eyes narrowed. Shit, she thought. He knew she only surfed when she was stressed or upset. Ally didn't know how she would get out of this one. Silently, she apologized to her brother, and then nodded back at him. "Why?"

"I missed Jesse," she whispered, which wasn't exactly a lie. She did miss her brother every day. He was the one who made sense of things when she couldn't do it herself. "So, I took his board out. I am so out of practice."

"I would've went out with you," he murmured.

"Yeah, I know you would've. But it wasn't about that."

"Fair enough. So, what did you and McHottie Surfer Dude talk about?"

She snorted, shaking her head. "Just the competition." She took the chance to change the subject in a way that he'd never come back from, "He thinks you're incredible." She watched his eyes light up, like he never was interested in anything else before. "His words."

"Holy shit," he murmured. "Holy shit. Don't you dare tell Dez I reacted that way."

Ally snorted, "I don't have a death wish, Theo."

When she got back to her house after an antagonizing run with Theo (he had five inches on her to begin with, so it was a struggle enough to keep up), she had two text messages from Dallas, and three missed calls. She glanced at the clock, seeing it was barely eight am. It was still, in her book, too early for this crap. Ally debated in those moments ignoring the calls and pretending she never saw them. But, a little voice in her head told her that despite her want to do this, it would not play out well for the rest of her day.

So, she called him back.

"Babe," he said on the third ring, "What took you so long?"

"Sorry," she answered, playing into it. "I was in the shower. We had a long night at the shop last night."

"Oh," he muttered back. "So, want to come over and help me with last minute details?"

Never in a million years, she thought. "I can't," she quickly lied. "My dad needs help with last minute things in the shop today." It wasn't a lie. As hard as they worked the night before, there was still a lot to do before the competition started tomorrow. But in typical Dallas fashion, he let out a rush of air like it was all her fault.

"You know I'm not going to see you much in the next two weeks though," he cooed. "Don't you want to see me?"

No. Not at all. Ever again, she thought. "I do, baby, but I need to be with my father. The other employees aren't anywhere as competent and I don't want him stressing after being away for a while."

He huffed. "Fine."

"You could come over to the shop. I could take breaks and help you then."

He didn't answer. "Nah. It's all good. I'll text you tonight. Maybe we can get dinner."

"That sounds nice," she lied again, shaking her head. She made a note to make sure she was busy when that call came later, if it even came at all. "I'll talk to you later then. I can't wait for you to win this competition. You have it in the books already. I know it."

That fueled his ego and he chuckled, "That's my Ally. Bye."

No love you, or anything. She hung the phone up and rolled her eyes, going to take a real shower and think about how lovely her day was going to be without Dallas in her hair for the majority of it.

By the time she was done and dressed for the day, her father had already opened the shop and was organizing a display in the front. She strolled across the floor, greeting the morning cashier and hugged him with a smile. "Morning. Do you need any help?"

He turned around with a smile to match. "Ally! I didn't expect you to be home today with the competition starting tomorrow. Doesn't Dallas need you?"

"Oh, he said he'd be fine," she stated. "I figured we could use the extra hand today."

"Definitely," he replied, clearly relieved. "I ran into the Lindsay Taylor's boy this morning at the coffee shop." He made a slight face. "He's not lacking in confidence, let me just say. He told me to say hi to you, though. Asked how you were doing. I didn't realize you too were still so close. I haven't seen him over here in years."

Ally's blood boiled at the mention of Noah. How dare he try to bring her father into this, especially when he had no idea what was happening, or how much Ally did not get along with them. She smiled regardless, "Oh, I see him around time to time. He likes to brag about his mother's shop, mainly. You know how that is."

Lester chuckled, "Yes, I definitely do. I ran into her at the meeting several days ago."

"Did she say anything to you?"

"Just a few bragging comments," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "The usual."

Ally rolled her eyes too and busied herself with putting up another display. She was hard at work with it for a while, as the directions were not so clear and there were a lot of parts to put together. She must've been at it for nearly fifteen minutes when the bell chimed and someone walked in. She heard her father and the cashier both greet the customer, so she knew it was no one that she knew. At lease, she thought so until someone tapped her on the shoulder just as she went to put the final piece in the display, knocking it over and sending the various cans of energy drinks flying both through the air and all over the floor.

"Okay, I am adding sneaking up on you to the list of things I should not do, to the list of things that I will never do again for my own safety and lack of bodily harm," pipped a familiar voice.

Ally whirled around to see Austin standing there, in a pair of board shorts and a tank top. He was smiling sheepishly, as he bent over to grab some of the drinks. "You think," she deadpanned.

"Sorry," he said, fixing the display in a minute flat, earning a scowl from Ally's face. He put all the bottles onto it, even making sure they all faced the same direction. Damn him. "I figured I'd stop in and say hi. I was on my way back from filling out paperwork for tomorrow. I knew you'd probably be here."

"Yeah," she answered, dusting off her shorts. "Busy day for the shop. Lots to get done."

He looked around, watching her father hang signs, while the cashier sorted through paperwork. She also glanced at the three other displays that still needed to be built, probably all more terrible than the last. "Well, I have the afternoon off. Can you take a break for a few minutes?"

Ally bit down on her lip. She should not fuel this kind of behavior with Austin, as she knew it was dangerous for herself, and many others in her life. "I probably shouldn't," she finally answered. "I still have a lot to do."

He nodded, looking out toward the boardwalk and ocean. "Okay. I get that." He put his hands into his pockets, looking toward the door. In those moments, it seemed he came to a decision. "I don't have anywhere to be," he admitted. "My Uncle told me not to train today, just so I'm rested up and ready to go. I kind of don't want to go home, because he's been talking my ear off for the last four or so hours. I could help you guys out here, if that's okay with you."

Lester came up beside of them. "Who is this, Ally?"

Ally grinned weakly, "This is Austin, Dad. He's the newbie in the competition that I was telling you about. He's really good."

"Ah," her father grinned. "Nice to meet you. I'm Ally's father. Are you ready for tomorrow?"

He nodded, shaking her father's hand. "Yes, Sir. As ready as I can be. I'm just hoping that the practice and determination will be enough to get me fair in the competition. I know there are many great surfers I am up against."

"That is very true, Austin. But don't let them get in your way. Everyone's got a chance here. They say the waves are going to be perfect tomorrow, too. So it's anyone's game."

"Yes, Sir."

Ally cleared her throat. "Austin is going to help me build a few displays, if that's okay. And maybe after we might take a break and head over to the smoothie shop?" she glanced at him, hoping her reply wasn't a shock. "Jace has new flavors in and he's been wanting me to check them out. Trish says they're amazing."

"Sure, sweetie." He looked at the blond surfer. "Thanks for helping, kid. I have to go file some paperwork in the back. Good luck tomorrow if I don't see you."

"Thank you, Sir."

After her father disappeared into the back of the shop, she motioned for Austin to follow her to the large displays. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, but there was something about his presence that calmed her, and her friends and more importantly Dallas, were all busy, so no one would ever know he was there. Who said she didn't deserve a little happiness after the last couple of days? If she worked hard enough, she could keep Noah out of her head, and pretend all that happened elsewhere didn't matter for a couple of hours.

They worked silently on the next display for a few minutes. She learned that Austin was great at building things during that time, as he had the next one together in nearly a quarter of the time it took her to build the first. He was screwing something into the bottom of the display when she began to place the heavy bottles of sunscreen (mega size for a cheapened price because of a label malfunction—her father was all about bargains!) on the top. Somehow, she must've missed his cue to wait on doing this, because the display began to shake under the weight of it, and without the final screw in the front, tumbled forward onto Austin, nailing him on the forehead with both the bottles and the wired metal racks.

"Shit!" he gasped as it came apart, a final bottle getting him square between the eyes.

Ally immediately began to pull the display up, apologizing the entire time. "Holy crap. I am so sorry. I thought you said I could put them on." He pushed the bottles around him away, dizzily looking at her with slight irritation. So much for a relaxing day before the competition, she couldn't help but think. She smiled sheepishly, then gasped. "You're bleeding," she noticed, pointing to his upper forehead where a slight cut blended blood with his forehead and mop of blond beach hair.

"I am so sorry," she said again, helping him up. "Let me go grab the first aid kit."

"It's all good," he said, but she didn't listen. She ran to the back where they kept those kinds of things, and made him sit in a chair where she began to take out the necessary items to stop the bleeding and keep infection away. "You are super dangerous," he laughed quietly as she wiped away the excess blood with a paper towel and then used an alcohol swab to clean it. "I am getting myself some protective gear."

She blushed wildly, looking for the lotion to prevent infections in the kit. As if she couldn't suck more, she dropped it on the floor. They both reached for it at the same time, coming up so that they were face to face, Austin's honey eyes studying hers. She blushed a second time, gently wiping the hair out of his face so that she could apply the cream before she did anything else stupid.

Before she could do anything else, the door bell chimed and someone strolled in.

"What the fuck?" someone growled, and Ally jumped about five feet, narrowing missing Austin's forehead in the process. Austin too got up and they both stared at the newest customer in the store, knowing that whatever was about to come would not be good.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you for your reviews! I am officially done with classes for this semester and have been actively working on this story. I have this chapter done and the next started... the next chapter starts the competition, where everything starts to get mangled and mixed in together. I figured we needed to see some stuff from Austin's perspective this chapter, though. Thanks for waiting and keeping up with my story. I love you.**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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Ally knew she had absolutely no reason in that moment to feel guilty, but seeing Dallas enter the store made every part of her feel otherwise. Austin also grew frigid as the champion surfer strolled across the small shop and demanded answers without saying another word. While she was all ready to begin to babble a response, the blond surfer instead took the lead.

"I'm sorry, bro. I came here looking for some surf wax and there was a mishap." He cautiously eyed her as if to get further approval. Ally didn't dare move. She didn't have answers to give, so she figured whatever he was going to say would have to do. "Ally was setting up this display," he continued, motioning to the now wrecked display. "She almost dropped it on herself. I tried to stop it from falling on her; I got whacked in the process. She was just doing the noble thing."

He practically sneered back at the sheepish blond. "Yeah, noble. That's my girlfriend alright." He narrowed his eyes. "It's barely a scratch. Throw a band aid on it and go to another shop." He pointed to his face on the wall. "I am sponsored here. Doesn't look to good for other surfers to be buying products, now does it?" He titled his head, and Ally internally groaned. He was such a dick; even if he didn't believe that Austin was trying to make a move on her, he did see him as a threat to his championship regardless. Hell, that was probably more of his problem than anything else. "So… you gonna move?"

Austin, still frozen immediately stood. Ally watched him waver (clearly it was more than a scratch—she wished she could apologize further for all the bodily harm she was causing this guy) and carefully stopped him which earned both of them another look. Ally this time shot one back, daring him to have a word to say. Shockingly, Dallas backed down. "Sorry, again," she murmured. "Thanks for the help. I'll see you … around."

She made sure only he heard that part. It earned her a secretive smile. "Yeah. Thanks. Have a good day."

"Goodbye," Dallas snapped, and motioned to the door. He watched him leave through it and then rolled his eyes at Ally. "You gonna clean that up?" he asked, pointing to the display. "It doesn't look good for your already crappy business."

She crossed her arms, "Why are you such a jerk?"

"Why are you letting amateurs shop here?" he countered.

"Because I'll take any business I can get," she shot back, not backing down. Dallas didn't scare her as much as he really thought he did. "I also almost got seriously hurt, so maybe you should be thanking him. What would you have done if I couldn't have been there tomorrow?"

He didn't hesitate, "Perform like I always do."

Ally watched as he walked confidently into the back room, probably looking for her father, leaving her there, not so much shocked, but all the more done. Angrily, she kicked a sunscreen bottle and looked out toward the ocean. She could see Austin making his way down the beach, and a part of her wanted nothing more than to go after him. With every fiber of her being telling her otherwise, she glanced at the back of the shop. She could hear her father and Dallas laughing like best friends in the back. A quick decision was made. Ally ran out of the shop without looking back, hoping that running with Theo in the morning would give her enough edge to catch up with the blond surfer.

 **Take it Out on Me**

Austin felt a mix of annoyed and disgusted, but slammed his feet through the sand anyway. He wanted to go back into that shop and give the dickhead a piece of his mind, but knew doing so would probably make matters worse for the beautiful brunette he just couldn't seem to get alone without one of their world's falling apart. He hated how Dallas spoke to him, but also wanted to go into tomorrow's competition without any worry. Pissing off the lead candidate was probably a bad idea.

He didn't hear her running toward him because of his thoughts. He barely noticed her trip and stumble into him until they were both in the sand, tangled limbs making it hard for him to even turn his body. He could smell her sweet, summer perfume on his body and knew immediately it was her.

"I think you're sitting on my kidney," he coughed, trying to hide his smile. The girl was a damn wrecking ball.

"I am not even going to respond to that because I am just out of apologies at this point." They untangled themselves and Austin took a moment to appreciate her legs. They were absolutely stunning and he knew there was so much he wanted to do with them. He cleared his mind from that and just laughed at her response, helping her up. Focus, Moon. For God's sake. "I hope I didn't injure you any further, though. That would really suck."

"You trying to rid your boyfriend of competition tomorrow?" his joke immediately backfired as her expression fell, making him feel like crap. "Shit. That's not what I meant. I'm sorry. I really didn't mean that."

"It's okay," she said after a moment. "I am going to apologize for his behavior. There is no excuse for him. I hope you know you are welcome in our shop at any time. I don't care what he says. Sponsored or not, it's not his shop. It's mine. Well, half mine. Eventually. You get my point."

He laughed at her attempt to explain herself, and smiled. "You're all good. What are you doing here? I thought he would've kept you in there after all of that."

"He doesn't know I'm gone. I want to get further gone before he discovered this. I don't care where we go, but I just want away from all of this." He watched as her lips curved into a tentative, unsure smile. "Can you help me with that?"

He knew better than this. He made the decision the night she kissed him and then never brought it up again. Get over the thought of them as one, and just try to keep your head straight. Everything else was just… It was a bad idea. The girl, as much as he thought her attractive, funny, and somewhat quirky was dating the biggest superstar surfer in the area. What good could come of that while they were still dating? And what could he even do if someone saw them together and the prick found out? He wanted to win this competition, not be tossed out or thrown out by some board royalty. But she was so sweet and real, and everything else blended into the background as her doe eyes pleaded with him. He saw again the girl who was obviously suffering in more ways than one. He knew how that felt, and with a gentle taking of her hand, he pulled her further away from the shop, and down the beach where they could be alone.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" It was her third surfing related question since they sat down at his Uncle's beach house.

"Do you really want to talk about the competition?" he asked gently. "I'm not saying I won't or don't, but I am more than willing to talk about something else. It doesn't have to come back to surfing, you know."

She blushed and he loved it. "I'm sorry. What do you want to talk about?"

"What do you do for fun otherwise?"

She didn't answer for a minute. He came to a realization following this. The poor girl didn't have a life outside of her boyfriend's or the surfing world. "I don't know."

"Really?"

"What about you?" she challenged.

He didn't have an answer for her, either. Chuckling, he admitted, "I guess we both are pretty bad off, huh?"

"I like running," she finally stated, digging her feet into the sand. "Theo has been dragging me in the early mornings, before the sun is up and making me do it. I used to run all the time. I miss it."

"I run early too," he agreed. "I like being up before the world and back inside as everyone is getting up. The beach is so peaceful during that time."

"I like being alone with just my thoughts," she answered. "You know?"

"I definitely do," he smiled.

"You're from out of town, right? Not from a beach area? How'd you come into surfing?"

He gave her a look.

"It is not a direct question. It's more a background question."

He rolled his eyes and answered, "My Uncle, and all of that. I live up in the Midwest in a tiny little town where everyone is super nosy, and everyone's business is all over by the next day, regardless of how small it is. There is only one stoplight in the town and I think I graduated with a total of two dozen people. I couldn't wait to get out. I can't wait to stay permanently out."

"Is small town living that bad?" she wondered.

"No," he answered. "It just depends on how you live it."

"What does that mean?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "I did some bad things in my town. I'm kind of known for them. People don't like me there."

"Seems unfair. To be judged on something you have done in the past."

"Isn't that all we're judged on?" he countered. "After all, that's how opinions are formed."

"And what if they're wrong?"

He shook his head, "They weren't. But it is in the past."

She smiled at him, hooking her arm into his. He loved the gesture, but wasn't sure what it meant. "Sounds like a perfect time to form new opinions, right?"

He didn't care about whatever it meant, anymore as he looked into her eyes. It felt nice to have company, especially company that wasn't aware of all the crap he did back home. "Yeah, definitely."

They spent the afternoon together, Austin taking his Uncle's advice and forgetting about the competition.

He learned all about Ally and her friends. He learned how Trish came off as a hardass and pretended that she was tough as nails, but was probably the most sensitive of all her friends. He saw how she had an on again, off again relationship with Jace, who was still secretly jealous of Dez for a two months romance between himself and Trish, even though it ended up with Dez realizing that he much preferred the other team. He learned how Jace and Ally have lived above their respective shops almost ten years, and often would sneak out and sit on Jace's store's roof to watch fireworks without the crowds. He learned how Theo and Dez were her rocks, the two guys she knew she could always turn to without any judgment and complete trust. And then there was Cassidy, the friend who always had a trick up her sleeve, was probably the town gossip in many ways, but also had a heart of gold. They were a pot full of different characters, but Ally said they worked. He envied the closeness she had with them.

"And they get along with…?"

"No," she replied flatly, souring almost immediately at the mention of his name. "They all hate him. Literally. Trish probably the most." He noticed she looked away, as if she was holding something back.

"How long have you all been friends again?"

"It started as just me, Trish, and Dez. Theo moved here about five years back, he's actually the newest to our group. He moved about a year before—" She halted again, absolutely freezing this time. "Nevermind. But Jace and Cassidy found their way somehow. They kinda just showed up."

"That's really nice. I wish I had friends like that. You guys seem really close."

"We are," she smiled. "What about you? Friends and all that?"

"I have a few friends I'll meet up with but no one I'd ever really say I'd do anything for. I lost the majority of those."

"Well, you're always welcome in our little group. I promise Trish is calmer as time goes on. Theo too. He's a little overeager. He doesn't get to see many new hot guys often."

He smirked. "Hot guys?"

Her cheeks burned a bright pink. "His words."

"Not yours?"

 _Flirting with a taken girl_ , his mind taunted _. Do you have no self control?_ But she had kissed him the other night, hadn't she? He knew better. By the way she looked at him and acted, he had decided bringing it up was dumb. Clearly, she had been drinking, or confused and never wanted to talk about it again. But she was very honest and lovely and he couldn't find that very often by him. Was it really that horrible that he didn't want the day to end? What would he say if Dallas showed up right now? By the looks of it… you're a scumbag and you treat this girl like crap for no reason?

"I…" she finally answered, still shaded with blush. "I … nevermind. I'm glad that I left the store today. Thank you for making today so much better than it would've been."

He sighed, clearly pushed away.

Maybe he should just ask. Maybe she'd admit that it wasn't a mistake and she'd been waiting for him to bring it up.

Austin bit his cheek, then sighed, "Can I ask you something?"

She was digging her feet into the sand, watching the waves. "Sure."

"There's been this thing… eating at me…"

"Yeah?"

What was he doing?

 _Hello, Moon? What are you here for? Forget the damn kiss._

What was the point of trying to pursue her anyway? He needed to win the competition, not fall for some girl. He needed the money to pay off things back home, and the chance that he might get signed to a sponsorship if he won also weighed heavily on him. The idea was clear. He was here to win. Nothing else. Ally just wasn't part of that scene.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you for your reviews! Hehe... all I have to say:**

 **So, it starts...**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Ten Years Previous_

 _"I promise you, I will win this competition." The tall blond male pointed to the trophy placed high above the scoreboard, the beautiful, shiny trophy that Ally couldn't help but gawk at and envy. It would look so pretty in their house. She wished with all her might that the boy beside her was correct. She smiled a tooth-gapped smile at her big brother, excitement radiating from her small body like any child who could hardly wait for something to begin would. She pointed at it and just giggled. He ruffled her hair, eyeing the water with a precise gaze, nodding his head. "Yes. Today will be fantastic, AllyGator. The weather is perfect. The waves are even better."_

 _"I love you, Jesse," she stated. "You're the best. Go kick some booty!"_

 _He laughed a second time in the last minute, waving to an approaching adult. Ally practically forgot her brother in that moment, seeing Noah running her way, his father dragging the beach equipment with him. (The man was a bit oddly placed in_ _Florida_ _—the weather, the sand—everything that Ally and her family loved, he seemed to hate. He might as well have brought an entire armory to combat the sand.) He wearily glanced at the sky, and then forced a smile at his son's excitement._

 _"Hello Jesse. Hi, Ally!"_

 _"Hi Mr. Meloni! I am so excited for the show! Are you?"_

 _He forced another smile. "Oh yes, Ally. I am very excited. Noah!" he yelled sharply at the retreating pudgy child. "Get back here! You need more sunscreen! And a t-shirt." Jesse raised his eyebrows. The Meloni's were an odd family. Mrs. Meloni was the opposite of her husband, very driven but laidback when it came to the beach and surfing. She was a former surfer herself, retired and working on opening her own shop. They were neighbors down on Summer Lane. Ally had practically melted into a friendship with their son when they moved out there from_ _California_ _last summer._

 _"I'm sure he'll be okay without a shirt," Jesse tried to counter, swinging Ally close to him. "I appreciate you watching Ally while I compete today. My parents are working and couldn't get off for the first day, but you know she didn't want to miss any of the show." He glanced humorously at all of his beach gear. "I know you love the beach."_

 _"Hmph," Mr. Meloni returned, as Noah came back, already covered in sand. He tugged on Ally's arm, speaking some sort of eight-year-old gibberish that only made sense if you were able to speak as fast as he could. The boy won finally, breaking her brother's hold on her arm. "Be careful, Noah! She's smaller than you, and stay away from the water!"_

 _By the time the competition was about to start, Noah's father had made them come back and apply sunscreen two more times. Finally, Ally insisted she was covered enough and that her brother had placed plenty on her a few hours ago, and she had reapplied some herself before they had met up. The beach was growing in number as well, many families plastered over the sand, blankets covering the large beach while the judging station placed papers and pens around them. The competition host was on top of his chair, his megaphone centered to his lips._

 _With that, the excitement began. Ally rushed to the water's edge. The first surfer, a tall, lean man took off from the starting point, having decided on a wave. Ally was only nine (a few months older than Noah—thank you very much), but knew much about the way competitions worked thanks to her brother. She was even learning how to surf because of him on a tiny board on weak waves! She studied the first competitor with precise eyes, noting places where he could improve. He had great style, but it seemed that was all he cared about. His actual technique was a bit all over the place. It showed when he tried to go for a large finish, wiping out._

 _Ally snorted, "He stands no chance."_

 _Noah nodded, "Yeah! He sucks."_

 _"That's not a nice word, Noah!" Ally chastised, shaking her head. "He needs…"_

 _"He sucks," the boy replied flatly. "But I like his board."_

 _Ally agreed. It was neon blue with all kinds of swirls through it. "Yeah."_

 _The next up was one of Jesse's friends, but Ally couldn't remember his name. He was very good (not as good as her brother, of course) but made a mistake trying to go for a finish, too. She saw Jesse from his starting like shake his head sadly. Competition or not, it was never fun to see those you cared about fail. But, it was only the first round and there were several more to go before the weekend was out._

 _Another tough competitor was next, one she knew her brother was worried about. She didn't know if she should be pleased, or worried by how well he performed. He was quite good, "I don't want him to beat Jesse," she complained. "Jesse loves this so much. I want my brother to win."_

 _"Have hope, Ally," Noah said, hugging his friend. "I believe in him. You have to, too!"_

 _Ally was bouncing up and down when the host announced Jesse Dawson next. She got as close as she could to the water's edge, and stood as tall as she could to watch his every move. He waited, not to her surprise, letting several decent waves pass him by. He took the daring wave, the one that others would've passed up. Jesse was a wild, daredevil type, after all. The wave came fast, but so did he. He kept his technique simple, not going for anything over the top the first time. The wave was hard enough, she understood he didn't want to try to overdo himself and fall prey to what the other guy did before. Ally was beyond pleased when he finished strong, pointing to her from his finish area. She waved and blue him a kiss._

 _The scores for the round came next. He received two points from a perfect score. The best out of his group._

 _Sadly, Ally watched him fall to second over the next twenty four hours, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not get above the other competitor. Ally was even more disappointed by the size difference in the trophy. The large, shiny trophy went to some foreign competitor who had only signed up last minute. Jesse gave it to her, as it was probably not worthy of being in her case, she reasoned. He insisted otherwise, and told her that you couldn't win them all, and that he was pleased._

 _They sat that Sunday night on the back porch of their house, the gentle ocean breeze blowing wind through Ally's hair. From their backyard, you could still smell and see the ocean, if only from a distance. He ruffled her hair as they snacked on watermelon and listened to the bugs hum around them._

 _"You can't win them all, AllyGator. I'm happy. Be happy for me," he stated._

 _"But you deserved to win!" she cried, pouting and throwing her arms over her chest. "He's from_ _California_ _! He should've stayed there!"_

 _He laughed, "Oh, Ally. I think you're missing my point."_

 _"I want you to have the big, shiny trophy," she pouted. "You deserve it."_

 _"Maybe," he agreed. "But it's not my first competition, and it's not my last." He picked up the small, plastic trophy that he was given for second place and grinned at it. "Probably won't last as long as the other one, but it sure has heck has a lot of character."_

 _"It's ugly," she replied flatly. "I'm not happy."_

 _"Oh, AllyGator…" he chuckled. "One day, you're going to love that thing…"_

Ally glanced down at the stupid trophy on her lap and shook her head, coming out of a memory when a horn beeped at her from the front of her shop. The competition this year was closer to Noah's side of the beach and Trish was picking her up so they could drive there. In the car she saw Dez with Jace and Cassidy. Theo must've already been at the location, probably getting ready. She hadn't heard from Dallas since escaping him yesterday, coming back from her encounter with Austin as the sun set. Her father stated that he was disappointed that she disappeared, and that her boyfriend was too. She really didn't care. There was something so peaceful about knowing she'd made a better choice.

"Girl, you ready or what?"

Ally smiled, putting the trophy into her beach bag, and walking to the car. Jesse was right; as much as she hated to admit that, he was. She loved that trophy more than anything in the world, carried it to every competition she ever attended. Somehow, it made her feel close to her brother, and it also reminded her that he was right. Coming in first wasn't everything. If only her boyfriend would understand that.

"Nice booty," Trish commented, wiggling her eyes at Ally's shorts. She rolled hers and sat in the passenger seat, ignoring the additional comments that Cassidy made while Jace looked on uncomfortably. She shot him a grateful smile from her position and then put on her seatbelt.

"The local surf paper is beating on McAHole," Trish commented, giving her a pained look. "He's not royalty, as much as everyone thinks he is. I hope Theo kicks his fucking ass."

"Amen," Dez commented loudly. "Besides, do you know what winners sex feels like?"

Cassidy shrieked, "What? What even?"

"I do not know what winners sex feels like, Dez." Trish deadpanned as she came to a stop. "What the hell does that even mean? Is that a thing?"

He grinned ear to ear. "I dunno. I bet it feels fucking awesome, though. I have the role play already planned out."

"TMI," Ally warned. "My Gosh."

He laughed harder, and the other two girls in the car shrieked with laughter. She glanced at Jace again; was he the only one with any sense of modesty these days?

"Seriously though, I want Theo to wipe the ocean floor with him."

Ally silently agreed as they pulled into the parking area, already swamped with cars that were parked for the competition. She glanced at her phone, noting they had about an hour to kick off. She hoped to find Dallas beforehand, pretend she wanted him to win, and all that jazz. Enough to make their brand look good, take some pictures for magazines, and call it a day. Then, she could sit back and enjoy the actual show. As much as she loved her friends, they just didn't appreciate the sport as much as she did. They didn't understand.

Dez came up beside her as the two girls and Jace joked in front of them.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded, leaning toward him without meaning to. She loved her some Dez. She could always rely on him and Theo to make her days easier. "I'm just hoping everything goes smoothly."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want drama," she explained. "Dallas has been extra pushy and rude, and I want this over in a weird way so that I can let life get a little more normal again."

Dez made a face. "You realize this is a month long competition almost, right?"

"Weekends only," she reminded. "So yeah, I get it. I'm not going to get my hopes any time soon. Yeah."

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "I mean, look at it this way: lots of eye candy. We can both look, but not touch. I'm good with that."

Ally snorted, "I don't know how Theo even focuses in the water. I feel like he'd take one look at someone he finds attractive and he'd flip off the board."

Dez scowled, "I'm the only man in his life. I instill fear. So, he focuses."

"Yeah, yeah," she laughed. "Tell that to the blond he's been gushing about."

"Wait, the Moon kid?" Dez whined. "Damn it! Ally! Don't let him look at him!"

"Don't worry," she managed to say through giggles. "I think he's only got eyes for the competition."

He huffed, "Good."

The others put down blankets, got drinks out, and began their version of a party as the competitors lined up, working on pre-game and other boring tasks that had to be done before the competition started. She used this time to excuse herself and go look for her boyfriend. She found him stretching near the entrance area. Shockingly, he wasn't furious when she walked up to him.

"Hey baby," he cooed. "Excited to see me kick ass?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"What do I get if I come in first today?"

She played along, "I don't know… how about you show me first?"

He eyed her devilishly, "Not even a hint?"

Disgusting, she thought. "Nope. I wanna see you kick ass first."

"Fine," he sighed, and she wondered why he wasn't angry with her. She had disappeared the night before the competition and before they even resolved their last argument. Deciding she'd take what she could get, she continued the lame banter until she saw Austin and Theo talking out of the corner of her eye. Austin stopped too when he saw her and she noticed he forcibly looked away. What was that about?

"And my parents' dinner tonight…"

"Mhm…"

"Baby, you listening to me?"

Ally came back to the present and forced a smile. "Sorry, I thought I heard Trish call me. What did you say?"

"That I'm hoping I'll see you cheering your perky little ass off," he said, slapping hers. Again, she caught Austin staring at her just in time for Dallas to additionally squeeze it. Her cheeks immediately reddened and she resisted the urge to scold him. She didn't mind a little PDA but there was something trashy about his latest actions. "Love those shorts," he purred into her ear. "Would love to see more what's underneath them."

"Later," she purred back, and with that, she left him.

Ally walked back over to her friends in time to see Noah join the competitor's group and act like he owned the place. How his ego and Dallas' fit into one small area, she had no idea. Or how Theo didn't plot murder every time they were around. Her patience wore thin almost immediately in their presence. It was funny how only a few years ago, she felt differently about them both. Before Jesse's death and her parents' marriage dissolved, he was her go-to friend. How do people just change?

"The competition is starting!" Trish cheered, sipping on some sort of wine cooler with Cassidy. Ally smiled at them both as the judges took their seat and the host began his speech. It felt eerily similar to her brother's competition all those years back. She closed her eyes and for a few seconds, she was back there again, pure, innocent, and happy.

Then, someone blew a blow horn and the surfers were taking off for the water. She waved to Theo and Dallas, tried her best to focus on them and ignore the mop of blond hair all the way to the right. Thankfully, he was focused so she didn't have to try too hard.

Noah was first. He executed a great wave, scoring nicely, though not perfectly. She saw clear improvements in his game, especially things that she knew that Dallas looked for. Sneaky asshole. He might've played that game with her the other night, claimed how pure and hardworking he was, but she could almost prove he was using her boyfriend's notes on him to further his own game. Who was low now?

After him, there was an amateur that Ally cringed for almost his entire session. He was not only all over the place, but had horrible posture and execution. Ally knew he would be the first to be eliminated unless someone completely crashed first time.

Theo was after that. The girls, including Ally cheered wildly, while Dez screamed louder than them all. He even had a little flag that he waved furiously, making sure even if he wasn't looking at them, that he could feel the love. Theo, like Noah had a nearly flawless run. One tiny mistake toward the end cost him two points.

Another well-known to the area performed next, and the few after that seemed to blend into the next. It was only when Austin appeared did her interest really peak again. Austin much like her brother waited for a larger wave, waited for the perfect chance to top it, and then cleanly rode it all the way in. The judges scored him one point below perfect. Ally couldn't find a mistake though. She glanced at the judges, wondering what they thought he missed.

The last to go was not shockingly Dallas. He was judge-favorite and fan-favorite, and Ally ignored how loudly fans cheered, especially girls. While it was not like other sports where girls would do somewhat disgraceful things at games, surfing was not completely clean either. Maybe they didn't know he was dating someone, or maybe they didn't care, but the girl on the next beach blanket to Trish and her spoke in detail about what she'd like to do to him. A part of her wanted to interrupt and tell to her take a try. She didn't care.

Ally was furious when she saw a mistake herself and they still scored him perfectly.

How could they blatantly ignore the stumble she was so sure she saw? Maybe it was all in her head and she was looking for a reason to doubt her boyfriend. Perhaps it was all just her own favoritism and she needed to focus again. Still, when he won the first round, she was angry. He might be great, but he wasn't the only one. Ally wanted someone to prove it. She didn't care who at this point.

The second round was girls, then another set of guys. In between, the first group took a break and double-checked their boards. There would be one more round for their group before the first day was over, and it was focused on a different scoring board. Ally wasn't particularly a fan of it and she knew it would lean in certain competitor's favor.

Shockingly, Theo took the round, earning the highest amount of points. Ally was proud and happy, and she knew that Dallas, coming in second (with Austin in third), was probably furious. Still, Dez practically ran to his boyfriend following the end, and declared now that their section was done for the day, the group go down to the surf shack that sold snack food and celebrate. Happy, and excited, and in the thrill of her friends' chatter, Ally left without looking back.

She swore she'd never own a fake ID. She was twenty years old, almost twenty-one and never intended on doing any of this. But the shack had great mixed drinks, and she wanted to forget, if only for a little while. Theo was beaming, having come in second for the day and her other friends were absolutely nuts with happiness too. Trish and Jace were dancing on the boardwalk inspired front porch, and Cassidy was downing more drinks than Ally could count. Dez was attempting to talk the DJ into playing their song, so Theo was entertaining Ally.

He was halfway tipsy too and she enjoyed dancing with him in the middle of the patio.

He swung her hip to hip, then pulled her close, whispering into her ear.

She blushed. "God, Theo."

"It's true! You are absolutely stunning."

"That's ridiculous," she murmured. "I'm nothing special."

"Where is my loud, sarcastic Ally? What has he done to you? I miss the crazy girl I know so well. Pop another mixer and meet me back on this floor in five minutes. I wanna awaken that girl."

The words stung. What did happen to that girl? Was she still inside?

Theo smiled at her with such compassion, that she knew she had to prove she was still there.7

She blushed but obliged, and they danced for nearly a half hour. Her hair was matted with sweat, she had more to drink than probably good for her, and she couldn't stop giggling. There was something magically freeing about being with the people you just absolutely loved and cherished more than anything in this world. There was not a single judgment, just pure bliss and understanding. Ally loved her friends; it was the most happy she'd been in weeks.

Then, there was a crash in the doorway. Ally stopped, mid spin with Theo when he came in. He practically raged across the room and shoved Theo away with such force that Ally wondered if he fell behind her. Except, she couldn't look because the anger radiating from her boyfriend was enough to immediately kill her happy buzz and enrage something inside of her that was bubbling from deep down.

"What the hell are you doing?" he screamed. "Where the fuck have you been?"

She waved her arms around. "Having fun. You should try it sometime."

"I have called you like ten times, Ally! I am in first, I wanted to celebrate with my parents tonight. They expected you to be there. How embarrassing do you think it was when you didn't show up at seven?" Ally glanced outside. It was nearly dark. Probably close to nine. Meaning, she missed whatever so called dinner he'd planned, and he'd been itching to get out and find her ever since. How he did, she did not know. Still, she wasn't amused, or scared anymore.

"I really don't care," she stated simply, knowing he was too dumb to really give her a worthwhile argument.

"Do I need to keep you on a fucking _leash_?" he growled, his voice deathly low, so that only she could hear him. His eyes changed and there was something haunting behind them. In those seconds, she realized all she wanted to do was claw them or, or throw him out the window. The amount of rage inside of her felt unhealthy and it was starting to itch from every pore on her body. But what he said next came as a further shock, "Keep you on a leash like a filthy, dirty _whore_? I halfway expect to find you in bed with that _flamboyant fag_ one day. What would you do then? Hmm?"

Her mind raged. There were few things that angered her more in life than fucking with her family, and fucking with her friends. She had no say over what Theo's parents said about him. She could only give her opinions to strangers. But when her own boyfriend, one of Theo's former friends spoke so lowly of him—and more relevantly about her, she did not have to bite her tongue. There was some sort of revelation in those following seconds and she had a million responses she wanted to give:

 _You cheated on me!_

 _Your dumb blonde whore might also want in on our lovely threesome._

 _Your penis is only half his size. Yeah, I've fucking seen it. The difference? I've never cheated on your pathetic, sorry ass. You are not worthy of bowing down and begging for forgiveness._

 _You deserve nothing but a swift kick where it hurts right now. Better yet, I hope Theo drags you onto the floor and beats some respect into you. Maybe Dez will help. How do you feel about that?_

 _How dare you throw this kind of shit in my face when you've lied to me so many times in the last few weeks while all I've done is have fun and hang out with my friends?_

 _Where are the double standards in your book?_

 _Fuck you. I'm done._

 _We're done._

Just as soon as the rage surfaced, clarity soon appeared. She said none of those things. She felt her body relax and she smiled at Dallas. The only words she remembered saying were, "I am sorry," and with that, she ran. She ran this time, not upset, not angry, but out of pure content. Dallas was not worthy of her time, but two could play down and dirty. Maybe she should've answered her friends' calls to her while she ran through the sand, or maybe she should've given Dallas a chance to answer her pitiful response. Instead, she ignored all of them and for a second time, ran all the way to an increasingly familiar area in which she was not surprised to see him sitting on the sand, watching the sun go down.

There was something odd about the clarity.

Was revenge worth it?

She really didn't know. She never felt this way before.

Ally sat down next to him and he seemed shocked to see her.

"I've decided something tonight," she told him, not giving him a chance to ask her why she was there. When he only stared at her, she smiled. Was she herself? Maybe, maybe not. She really didn't care. She continued, "I have decided that in this life, what you want is the most important. I've also decided tonight that I am worth it, and I am worth so much more. I am sitting here because I've decided you make me happy, and you are worth it. I am tired of him."

"You broke up with him?" Austin finally asked and she saw hope appear.

She didn't know what to say. "I really like you," she replied. "Maybe we should give this a try."


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you for your reviews! I am loving writing this ... I think you all will see soon just how tangled the lives of our favorite character will become. That said, I just want to state how sickening the events of this weekend were to me. What happened in Orlando is both horrifying and terrible and I cannot comprehend how terrible we can be to one another. That said, as we do have two gay characters in this story, my heart especially aches for those affected in real life over the weekend by some hateful, bigoted being.**

 **Finally, I am issuing a HUGE disclaimer before you read on. The ending of this chapter has some seriously hurtful language and some triggers that might be harmful to some people. Please read with your discretion. Also, the comments are that of a fictional character and of a fictional character only.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

* * *

The sun was slowly melting it's way down the sky, and Austin basked in his success for the day. Sure, third place was not where he wanted to be per se, but there was still several weeks of competition left. He dreamed of the honor and prizes that came with winning, but he also had a lot to prove to himself, too. Considering he was up against some of the best of the area and they all knew their competition, he really couldn't complain. The day had been perfect for surfing, the waves even better… now, if only he could manage to sleep well that night, and the next day would be even better, he was sure of it.

His Uncle was due home soon and they were set to head to a late night celebratory dinner. While he was disappointed that his Uncle Crash had to work that day and could not get off, he knew he was there with him in spirit. Besides, like he remembered, there was so much more time for him to prove it not only to himself, but to everyone around him, too.

He sat on the beach in the meantime, soaking up what was left of the day. His feet were tucked in the moist sand and he leaned back, staring up at the swirly clouds with a smile. Funny how life could turn itself around—two summers ago, he was not in such a good place mentally, and certainly not in a physical sense either. He supposed he had a lot of growing up to do, and he was glad to have done it. He couldn't imagine where he'd be in the present time if he was still doing drugs and hanging out with that dangerous crowd. Glancing down at the scar on his wrist, he tried to push away the memory of that night. The one that no one knew about—not even the police. It remained unsolved. It would haunt him for the remainder of his life.

He sat back up, trying to push it away again and focus on the good. He couldn't change the past. His Uncle told him that quite often and he tried to live by it. The future was bright and he needed to make sure it only got brighter.

He was so into his thoughts that Austin didn't hear her come up beside him, thankfully quite gracefully this time. She began speaking and he tried to not come off as shocked by her presence. Honestly, he had pushed her from his mind since that morning, when he saw her with Dallas and he felt some weird ache of jealousy. After all, hadn't he decided the night before that his main focus would be on the competition? It seemed ridiculous to pine over a girl who was clearly taken, even if she'd admitted several times her relationship was less than stellar.

But the words that came out of his mouth did more than shock him, they pleased him. It seemed she had finally come to her senses, realized that he was no good for her. Maybe Austin had no right to form an opinion on someone he really didn't know. But he thought that Ally seemed like the trustworthy type and he didn't see a reason not to believe the details she did share. Besides, he had gotten into his face and threatened him the other day. What made Austin feel like he had any reason to have respect for someone like him? Most people were easily read and he was a good people reader. Dallas Berkley was no good.

"You broke up with him?" His voice gave way to the hope he felt and he closed his eyes, with a prayer that he didn't sound so desperate… why did he sound so desperate? Damn you, he cursed both himself and her, this was not how it was supposed to go. He opened his eyes back up to see her lips curving into a tiny smile, one that proved she was both scared and daring and there was something so moving about it.

He couldn't believe what she said next, "I really like you," she explained, "Maybe we should give this a try."

Austin wanted to smile, to laugh, to do something in order to prove that not only he heard her, but he wanted it too. But his mind could not process it quick enough and he just stared, mouth open back at her without a single word said.

She faltered at his expression, "Maybe I shouldn't…"

"No," he replied, quickly. "I mean… Are you sure? We're both busy and…" His plan! This great plan he had! Why did it seem to crumble so quickly in front of him?

Was he really that easily pleased?

"I get it," she tried to cover. "I understand. I just thought…"

He shook his head, "No, no. I'm coming off completely wrong. I like you, too. I've been thinking about you constantly, actually. I just feel like … I don't know." It was overwhelming. After coming to his so called senses the night before, he figured he didn't have to worry about this anymore. Her coming to him and saying this reminded him just how unprepared he was for this kind of thing besides the fact.

He hated to admit he was not used to this. The only girls he'd been around back home were ones that he wouldn't dare bring home to his parents, or even take on a date. He didn't think he even kissed these girls… what was his love life? Exchanging pills for better options? Austin felt pathetic. Here was this beautiful, level-headed girl in front of him and he was coming to the realization that he had absolutely no experience in the one department he probably should.

"What's wrong?"

He remembered one real girlfriend before the drugs. Someone he cared for. They were young, clumsy and it never would've lasted. But he did really care for her, and he did always wonder what happened to her back home. Still, that was nearly five years ago, and it all seemed like a far away land to the present. He finally laughed, "I'm just realizing how out of it I've really been…"

She wrinkled her nose, "I've had a really weird night, so if you could make sense, that would be wonderful."

"Would you believe me if I told you that I'm probably less experienced than you in every shape and form?" he said nervously. "Don't laugh at me."

"What does that have to do with anything?" She seemed genuinely confused by the confession. "I just want to know if you want this too. If not, I'll just walk away now, and pretend it never happened." She was giving him that option. He could take it, and it would all go away. His heart gleefully danced around his brain… like a child, it taunted him because he knew he couldn't say no. This damn girl was some kind of drug. Weren't drugs dangerous? "I'm getting really good at that. I mean, I've managed to not mention the kiss at that party, and I probably should've a while ago… well, I just did now." She covered her mouth with her hands. So, she did remember the kiss… "I should probably stop talking now."

"We're a great pair," he laughed, shaking his head. Austin looked at her for only a few seconds, studying how disheveled she seemed. Her hair was a mess on her head, bun barely holding on while her make up was smudged and well loved. She definitely came from somewhere else. Judging by her bikini strings hidden under a sheer top, she hadn't been home since the competition, so where was she? Did it matter?

They both started to laugh this time, and Austin sighed internally. He had to make a decision right then and there, something he wasn't that great at he was discovering more and more recently.

 _"_ _Austin_ _? You said you had a question?"_

 _"Oh. Right. I forgot," he lied lamely. "It's been a long day."_

 _She nodded, "I can agree to that."_

 _They had stopped walking down the beach as the tide rolled out, and sat down on the silky, wet sand._ _Austin_ _looked out at the ocean, hating that in a few months, it would be gone from him for quite some time. His parents, despite his age had yet to allow him to move down there on his own. Sure, if he really wanted to, he could pack up and do it in spite of them, but these days, he was on the building trust boat. The ocean was his home, his one anchor and nine months without it seemed like torture._

 _"You're quiet all the sudden," Ally noticed._

 _He broke his gaze from the water. "Just thinking."_

 _"May I ask about what?"_

 _He shrugged. "I really like it here. Not just the area, but being around the ocean. I can't explain it, but it brings me to a peace that I can't find anywhere else."_

 _"The water has always healed me," she responded distantly. "I completely understand."_

 _He glanced at her and noticed she had a faraway look in her eyes. He didn't question that. Not everything needed to be said at once. Hell, he wasn't about to share his past with her, either. Though, it would probably make her run for the hills. It would benefit him in some way… "I don't want to go home when the summer ends, but I have to. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be here all the time."_

 _"You're only here for the summer?"_

 _Austin_ _nodded. He tried to ignore the surprised eyes that blinked at him. Maybe he should tell her he was tired and that he probably should get to bed early for the competition. It seemed unfair to keep her there, making her think he was interested even in a friendship. Every fiber of his being knew that he needed to focus on everything else._

 _Was he that cold?_

 _Maybe he'd do it gradually. She had so much going on she wouldn't even notice. The summer was only a few months long, after all, and there would be plenty of time between that and the rest of the year._

 _Thankfully, that would allow him plenty of time to forget about her. The competition would take up a decent amount of the summer, as would spending time with his Uncle. If he played his cards right, he would only see Ally in brief moments, and when it came time for him to pack up and head to the Midwest, there would only be fleeting memories of the girl he sat next to right then._

 _Who did that though?_ _Austin_ _wasn't sure._

 _"Yeah, it's kind of a bummer."_

 _"Well," she smiled. "Sounds like we should make it a summer you'll never forget."_

"Can we take this slow?" Decision made. His heart pumped a fist into the air.

Ally smiled again and he couldn't help but smile back. How could someone be so effortlessly contagious? "I'm totally fine with that. I'm definitely not in any rush to be anywhere."

Relief flooded him. At least this way, he could focus on the competition. If he really tried his best, maybe when the competition ended, he would do more than just win some trophy and cash. He would have a more priceless prize: a beautiful girl by his side. Somehow, something told him he couldn't have both. His head told him that the most important thing while being in Miami was to win and prove to himself he was truly better. His heart told him that he could do both. The two of them picked up an invisible rope and started to tug. Austin knew better, didn't he? Staring at her before him now, while she leaned back clearly content with his answer, he hoped he was wrong.

 **Take it Out on Me**

"I am begging you to take a deep breath and think before you go over there," came a muffled voice. Blood pulsed through his veins at an alarming pace, enough that he could feel his heart pumping in it's chest and loud enough that everything else was blurry. He had enough of this prick… there were few people in his life that he loved more than anything in this world, and one was standing next to him begging for patience and the other was the victim of a heinous verbal attack. How could he calm down? Did Dez not remember it was Ally who often came and got him when he was standing on the sidewalk late at night, no where to go? Did he not remember how she would leave her house in the middle of the night, bring him back to her place and tell her, don't worry, the bed is all yours.

Did he not realize how much less of a man he felt like when she was coddling him, treating him like he was breakable? Theo was so furious at the man before him in those moments, it all came flooding back like a terrible rainstorm. He spent so many months in the past trying to piece together his own life, he'd failed to see how bad hers had gotten. She never had any problem coming after him and fixing it… there was not a doubt in his mind that the countless drift offs in the day time, the lack of smiles, and all of the non-Ally like behavior he witnessed in the last few weeks made sense now. He knew Dallas could be a lot to take in. But deep down, as much as he bugged him and his fragile ego often made him roll his eyes, he always believed he was a good guy. Seeing him standing there, watching her run off with some sort of pride radiating off him, he finally realized how wrong he'd been.

And it was his fault.

Theo felt sick to his stomach. He couldn't take back the last few weeks, he couldn't go back and stop himself from ignoring her 'I'm Fine' comments. He couldn't do anything for that, but he wouldn't stand for this…

He broke away from Dez for a fleeting second, and was stopped only feet later by the same person. "I am asking you one more time to calm down and listen to me, Theo. You get into a fight with him and you're both disqualified. Do you understand that? You're _disqualified_. You will be out of the competition, and your parents will be called." Theo knew Dez was desperate if he was bringing his parents into this. But he just didn't care anymore.

He managed to reply, "What does that matter? My parents already can't stand me…"

"Do you fucking hear me?"

"He can't get away with this," he growled. "I won't let him."

"Then control yourself and do it in a manner that Ally would want you to!"

"Ally wouldn't want me to do this!"

"Exactly!"

Theo ignored his boyfriend a final time and stomped over to where Dallas stood, still watching her disappear into the sand. He grabbed his shoulder roughly and flung him around so fast he believed both of them would suffer from whiplash. But standing face to face with the smug asshole, he didn't know what to do. He wanted to give him a piece of how he felt, but also wanted to shatter the face that clearly enjoyed what he just did.

"Yes?"

Theo dropped his arm but coiled his fingers into fists. He tried to calm himself for the sake of his boyfriend, who was somewhere behind him probably being restrained by Jace. Maybe they could talk about this like adults…

"I am going to say this once."

"That's probably one too many, but do share."

"If you ever speak to Ally that way again, I will hurt you. That is not a threat, it's a bone-breaking promise." He closed his eyes fleetingly and then opened them, not surprised to find that Dallas hadn't moved, hadn't even flinched or shown any recognition to the searing words that came from his mouth. "I trusted you. I thought you would be good for her. I thought you would show her something she hadn't enjoyed truly in years. Do you realize what you represented to her?"

The rambling just seemed to bore him. What happened to the Dallas they all once knew? Was he ever really there, or was it just some coating that easily peeled off once you got to know him?

"Your words bore me," he replied easily. "I really don't care what you have to say."

"Do you even care for her?" Theo asked desperately. He needed to know that somehow deep down, Dallas wasn't some heartless prick who only cared about one thing. He needed some glimmer of hope that what he just witnessed wasn't really there. "Or are you really that insecure that you think a gay guy stands a chance in stealing your girl? I mean, I get it… I scare you. Admit it. Ally's always loved me more, and you know it. She doesn't run to you when she's upset, she runs to me or Dez. She has never really let you in because she probably knew deep down, you were nothing but some spray-tanned, one-dimensional asshole who took what he needed and left the remains. Face it," Theo continued, finding his voice and his confidence. "You've always needed her more than she really needs you. Who do you fall back on when this is over? Your trophies… your absent parents? Money? Newsflash, Dallas… none of that matters. Ally will be alright. She's got all of us."

Dallas's hard exterior seemed to crack a little and Theo smirked at his accomplishment, soaking it in just for a few seconds before continuing his assault.

"You might think I'm not someone to worry over," he added. "I really don't have much to lose. There will always be other competitions and other ways to one-up you, though it's really not hard to do." He tilted his head, watching as Dallas finally soaked more of it in. "I'm controlling myself now for her sake. Because I am not afraid of you and I definitely know I can take you."

"Nothing left to lose," Dallas murmured, surprising him. "Funny you say that. I mean, I believe it. You might think that you know everything, but I know just as much. Ally talks to me, you know. She tells me about picking you up late at night, how your parents are ashamed of you… what they really think of you. Maybe Ally has all of this to fall back on, and believe me, you don't know the half of it. But what do you have, Theo?" He glanced back at Dez who was gripping the bar counter with a death grip so tight that his skin was turning almost purple. "Does your boyfriend know about last month?" He flicked his head low enough so only Theo could hear, "Would he want to know? You both seem so close…" Theo's fists recurled. "Yeah, that's the expression I was looking for. I'm familiar with it. You see… I always end up on top. So keep up with your pathetic threats… or hey, even make good on them. But remember, I know. I will tell him… or hey, you could just do it again. Why not? Maybe you'll succeed in finding what you want this time. Do us all a favor."

"You tell him and I'll…"

"You'll _what_?" Dallas stepped forward, pointing to his lower face. "Come on. _Do it._ Right now. What do you have to lose, right?" Dallas laughed. "Thought so." He glanced at the bar. "So, go back to your friends now, why don't you? I think I'll make myself comfortable right over here…"

Theo closed his eyes and backed down, knowing he was defeated. There was one thing that he thought was only between him and Ally, but it made sense she had to tell someone else. At that time, he and Dallas were still friends, he thought he could trust him. He turned his heel, ready to swallow his pride and walk back over to his friends.

Dallas stopped him a final time, sending him a sickening smile, "Hey, Theo?" He ordered a drink in between his taunts. " _It gets better_."


	14. Chapter 14

**Thank you for your reviews! I know that Dallas is absolutely terrible. We'll see some downfall on his end soon, I promise. That said, this chapter is a majority flashback chapter with heavy parts on the Ally/Theo friendship and the mentioned secret that Dallas knew of.**

 **AGAIN:**

 ***MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER: THERE ARE MAJOR TRIGGERING ASPECTS OF THIS CHAPTER*  
Please be warned.**

 **That said, I appreciate all of you.**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

* * *

Ally was in a much better mood after leaving the beach with Austin. She ran all the way there, not as clear-headed as she made herself sound in front of Austin. Honestly, she was not clear-headed even now, as she headed to her car back at the bar area, soaking in the last few hours. She placed a finger to her lips where Austin's had been a short while before, wondering if you could bottle the feeling that he gave her; there was something absolutely carefree about being with him. How could she describe that accurately? It seemed impossible.

So into her zone, she missed the person sitting in her passenger seat until she was seated in the car, ready to toss her shoes into the backseat.

"Jeez! Theo!" she cursed, shaking her head. "Can you not shorten my lifespan by five years next time? How did you even get in? I locked my doors!"

Theo wordlessly held up the spare key she'd given him after one particularly bad night in which she found him sleeping in front of her store. She closed her eyes momentarily, glad that her father had been conveniently out of town that weekend and shook her head. Only for a few weeks did she allow him to sleep in her car until she insisted that he sleep inside, safe. Ally hated how often she got woken up by a distressed Theo; not because she hated being woken up, but she hated how her friend sounded when he was scared.

"Oh. Right," she sighed. "I forgot I gave you that."

He put the key back into his pocket.

"You're quiet," she noticed. "Is everything okay?"

He stared at her.

"Are you mad because I took off? I'm sorry. I didn't want to be there anymore. I probably should've called you and told you I was okay." She smiled weakly. "Actually, you won't believe who I was with, it was—"

"We need to talk."

Ally smiled again, giving him a more teasing expression, "Are we breaking up?"

"I'm serious," he stated, closing his eyes. "I'm not mad at you for running off. I get that. It's not about that. I mean, in a way it is. Something happened after you ran off at the bar. Between me. And Dallas."

Her smile faded almost immediately at the mention of her boyfriend. Did she forget he existed in the last few hours? Absolutely. But there was something in the tone of Theo's voice that sent an uncomfortable feeling down her spine and she turned her body to face him. "What happened? Is everyone okay?"

Guilt flashed over his light brown eyes, and she quickly searched for any sign of injury. She was not relieved despite finding nothing that showed signs of a physical fight, as the air seemed to get heavier as the conversation grew in length. Directly, she stated, "You're scaring me. Can you please tell me what happened?"

"I confronted Dallas following what he said," he replied calmly. "You'll be proud to know I didn't hit him once. I was tempted to."

A bit of relief did come this time, but not enough. Theo wasn't done.

"We got into a really heated argument. I told him exactly what I thought of him." He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "I owe you an apology for the last few weeks, Ally. I should know better than anyone people will tell you they're fine when they're not. I know Dallas can be an asshole but I didn't see just how bad he'd gotten. Watching him degrade you like that in front of the entire bar made me want to kill him." He sighed. "I am surprised I was as restrained as I was. But… our conversation got dark and fast. I told him that I knew he had nothing to fall back on and not to test me because I had nothing to lose, either."

"Theo, you know that's not true."

He shrugged his shoulders, opening his eyes up. This time she saw hurt and she swallowed hard. "What?"

"Why did you tell him?"

Ally knew immediately what he meant. A part of her wished in those seconds to go back in time and never say a word, but only a month or so previous, things had been so different. She thought back to what seemed like happy times with Dallas, happy times with everyone. That night had started out so well. She and Dallas had gone out to dinner on the water, typical for a weekend night. Dez was out of town with his family for some sort of weekend getaway, while Cassidy and Trish worked. Ally had plans to meet up with Theo after her night with Dallas, to grab a late night movie.

Only, shortly after leaving Dallas, she'd gotten a text that shattered that idea.

 _Can't go out. Parents think I'm going out with Dez. Not you. Huge fight. Threatening me._

 ** _So, tell them it's me. I'll come over to prove it. What do you need me to do?_**

 _They don't care. Forget it. It's fine._

 ** _Are you sure? Call me; it doesn't sound fine._**

 _Don't worry about me. They're leaving and it will all be fine. Love you._

 ** _Theo? I'm going to call you. Even if it was Dez… forget it. I'm calling you. Answer me._**

 ** _… Theo? Damn it. I'm coming over as soon as I can. I don't care what your parents think._**

 _Ally remembered running at least two stop signs driving the two mile distance from her shop to Theo's house. Seeing his parents expensive car already gone, she parked hers in the drive way and ran up the sidewalk. She banged on the door a few times and when she didn't get an answer, she dug in her pocket for her keys. Theo had a key to her car and shop, and she had one to his house, not that his parents knew it. Opening the door, she stopped short in the hallway, not seeing any lights on. With effort, she found a light and was more confused to not find Theo anywhere in the house._

 _"Theo?" she called out, glancing in the backyard where they often spent so many nights. Theo's house was great for parties because the backyard was huge. Not finding him, she sighed and ran up the stairs to his room, also finding it empty. His bed was neatly made, much to her shock, and all of his clothes were also neat and cleanly placed where they belonged. Something immediately felt off. Theo was a slob._

 _Where had he gone so quickly?_

 _Ally ran a hand through her hair, only seconds from dialing Dez in a panic. She could feel something was off in her gut and the longer it took her to find Theo, the worse she knew it would get. Desperate, she walked out into the dimming_ _Florida_ _light on his balcony, stopping short when she saw a figure near the water's edge. She wouldn't have even known it was him from the distance had she not spotted the rose tattoo that covered the majority of his back, vines and thorns she remembered that laced around the muscles perfectly toned. What was he doing? It was dusk, surfing at this time was usually warned against. It was hard to see, and sharks often fed during these times. Besides that, she didn't see his board. And he was in jeans._

 _Only then did she see a note taped to the window of the balcony and everything made sense._

 _She shouted his name in vain, as the ocean waves were loud beside the wind and birds._

 _Ally raced out of his room an down the stairs, urging her small body as fast as she could make it go. She kicked off her shoes as she ran out the back door, seeing he'd already gone about halfway up his waist from where she'd last seen him. It was about a half mile sprint from his back door to the ocean, and she was well out of shape. In spite of herself, she tripped over a rock, just as the seaside grassy area turned to sand. Falling flat on her face, she looked up in time to see his head disappear under the water and a sob escape her lips._

 _"Theo!" she shouted, hoping somehow they couldn't be the only ones around._

 _He wouldn't do this. Not to her, not to Dez, not to himself. She loved him too damn much._

 _Getting up, she continued all the way to the edge of the water, looking for some sort of sign for Theo. He was a surfer; he could tread water for hours without getting tired. Something was wrong if he did not float like she'd hoped. Ally tore off her sweatshirt, leaving herself only in a pair of shorts and a tank top, and raced into the water. She had no idea where she was going, or where to start, but she'd be damned if she let him do this._

 _She gulped in a breath of air and dived under a wave, looking for any sign of her friend. The water was so murky; it was high tide and everything was being drawn in. Ally panicked beneath the salt water, praying to a God she hadn't prayed to since before her parents split. She couldn't bear to witness this happen; she couldn't bare to go down without a fight. So she came back up to the surface, searching for any sign. Nothing came to view. She took another deep breath and dived back under. Then, like some sort of miracle by the grace of God, she saw something glimmer in the wilting sun's underwater rays._

 _Ally would've choked back another sob had she not been holding her breath. Despite it all, he was still wearing the cross she'd given him several years back, it's silver reflecting like a beacon of hope. Ally used all of her might to push her way to him, confused to how he was staying down under the waves, not floating to the surface. Alarm further filled her when she saw his eyes were closed and he was not moving. He looked oddly peaceful and calm._

 _No._

 _Ally finally reached him and pulled, finding he didn't budge. She couldn't hold her breath any longer and came to the surface, instantly taking a breath and diving back under, swimming to him and trying to understand what was holding him down. Something poked out of one of his pockets and Ally felt a sickening sense of irony. He had attached two 15 weights to each side of him, a gift from his parents last Christmas when they told him he was too scrawny, and looked feminine. Ally remembered him telling her how pathetic he'd felt and as far as she knew, they'd sat in the back of his closet for the last few months._

 _Detangling them took more effort than she realized. They were somehow attached well and she struggled against the current and the waves, her burning lungs and the sheer panic that she felt the longer they were both under there. Finally, she got one free and he floated a bit towards her. It felt like dragging a large display box she got at the shop and she struggled to get them both to the surface. He didn't open his eyes when they did and Ally cursed._

 _The current had dragged them out further than she hoped and Ally wondered how long he'd been without air in his lungs. Using all of her might, she kicked them to the shore and threw both of their bodies on top of the light colored sand._

 _Ally was CPR certified after a scare last summer when Cassidy had slipped and got caught into a rip tide. She hadn't needed to use the technique then, but it had scared all of their friends into learning more about beach safety and the tools that one might need if the worse were to ever happen. She looked in her pockets for her phone, realizing she must've dropped it somewhere in the house, or on the sand on her way to his rescue. She didn't have time to figure out where, as she knew it'd been too long since he'd been without oxygen._

 _Ally quickly closed her eyes to remember the training and began the chest compressions, hard and fast. She knew the dangers of breaking a rib if they were preformed correctly, and a sick part of her wanted to break more for him doing this to her. After a minute or so of compressions, she knew there was probably too much water in his lungs to revive him. Even though mouth to mouth was no longer part of the CPR training, she did it anyway, hoping that something somehow would help them. It sent chills down her spine when she sat up momentarily seeing his lips were blue and he was so still. This was not his end. She wouldn't allow it._

 _She went back to chest compressions for another minute, then switched again to mouth to mouth. Why couldn't someone notice them on the beach? It was private but they had neighbors, didn't they? Then, she watched his chest rise at an alarming rate and his body jump in attempts to expel the liquid from his lungs. She practically flung his body over on his side, immediately placing her hands firmly on his shoulder while murky water painted the sand. After his lungs were satisfied, he gulped in air hastily, making it all the more worse on his body._

 _"Theo," she called over the waves, "Breathe! Just breathe!"_

 _He collapsed onto the sand, over her knees and she let herself go. Sobs wracked her body and she pulled him close, feeling him tremble in her arms. She looked down at his shivering body, noticing he wouldn't look her in the eye while he attempted to regulate his breathing. They remained like that for a few minutes before she regained her bearings and quietly said they were going to the hospital._

 _After the doctors there said everything looked fine (they said there had been a swimming accident and since Theo was over eighteen, his parents did not need to be called), Ally drove them to his place only to ask him to remain in the car. Once inside, she got him a set of pajamas and another set of clothes, his necessities and walked back to her car. Now, without the sheer terror coursing through her veins, she noticed the deep bruise on his shoulder blade, and the black eye forming under his right eye. He had soft, new tears on his knuckles where it looked like he'd blocked a few punches._

 _She hated his parents. They only had one son and the son turned out nothing like they'd planned. They wanted an athlete (which they technically got), who would do them proud, a typical teenager you saw on TV shows who was a jock, dated the head cheerleader and got into an ivy league school. Theo wasn't even enrolled in the community college. He'd failed them in every form. When he came out to them about a year ago, they laughed for a week. Ally was told that they didn't believe him, and then it wasn't bad. The first time she remembered really watching her friend's confidence shatter was when he finally had the nerve to bring Dez home._

 _Dez had called her from his car only ten minutes after they were set to have dinner (Theo told his parents he was bringing his date over for dinner—they of course had expected a girl). Dez was kicked out, and Ally got the first late night phone call in which Theo had whispered, "It'll get better, right?"_

 _It became a thing to them. Before they even knew of the organization that stated the same line, Theo and Ally's phrase for when it got bad had often been It'll Get Better. Sometimes, when nights were really bad, she wouldn't use it because it seemed like a mockery. But in most cases, before he fell asleep in an exhausted, humiliated crumble, Ally would remind him that._

 _Ally didn't know what to do now, though. Theo was quietly at her side in the car and she had remained silent following the car drive to the hospital, except for mandatory exchanges. She was angry, but more so scared and hurt he'd do something so harmful to himself and all those around him._

 _"You're staying at my place," she started softly, trying to keep her voice warm and level. She didn't want to break down in front of him again, this time try to be the inspirational girl he always could lean on. It'd been a long year, and she thought they were finally on the ups from it. "In the morning, we're going to worry about where we go from here. I just want you to promise me right now that I can trust that when I wake up in the morning, you're going to be right where I left you."_

 _Theo glanced at her with haunted, sad eyes. "Promise."_

 _The next morning, Ally and Theo had a conversation which at times wasn't pretty. She had insisted on telling Dez and the others, in which he begged her not to. In exchange, she demanded that he find a counselor and talk to someone who was a professional. She didn't care if he kept it a secret; depression and attempted suicide were more than a cry for help, it the two together were an act of desperation and that was well above her ability. He agreed, and in the last month or so, it had gone well._

"Ally?"

"Sorry," she apologized, realizing she'd just relived one of the worse nights of her life without meaning to. She glanced at him and had no idea what to say. Finally, she told him the truth, "I was so scared following that night. You told me I couldn't tell anyone, but Dallas wasn't one of us… not in that sense. He wasn't _our_ group. I couldn't tell my father because he would have to know everything… and then I wasn't sure what that would mean. Dallas knew that you and your parents struggled a lot, and I figured he wouldn't say a word." She closed her lips, pressing them together. "I was right. I suppose until now."

He shook his head, a fleeting expression of anger crossing it. "I get it. I do." He took a deep breath and released it, and another haunting flashback of him gasping for air crossed her vision. "I … I just don't… I don't know what to do with this. He knows, Ally." He swallowed hard. "I'm trying so hard not to be mad at you right now. Because a part of me knows if the roles were reversed, I would've told Dez. He threatened to tell Dez, what would I do then? Dez would think I don't trust him, maybe that I don't love him and besides you, he's all I got." Tears quickly boiled down his cheeks and Ally felt a return of despair plant itself on her chest. She couldn't make this right. Not easily. Every time she tried to fix it, the more it fell apart. "He said our thing," he added after a moment, giving her a dark look. "I don't understand that, Ally. That's private."

Ally shook her head almost immediately, "I never, ever told him that! I swear." A sickening thought came over her. The only place she ever used those three words, other than by mouth was via text. Dallas had been in her phone. She took her hands and placed them around the steering wheel. "He has been in my phone." The thought wasn't that he was spying on her; she had nothing to hide. Unlike her disgusting boyfriend, she had remained loyal. It was the concept. Ally had only seen his phone when he left it out, the message showing up on the screen. There had to be enough trust in a relationship not to stoop to that level.

A part of her wanted to call him and question him right there. What would make him so fragile as a person to think she was not worthy of his trust? Did she ever have it? Was he always like this, or did something change in the last few months?

Her blood boiled the more she thought about what he did.

"I want to hurt him." He practically read her mind.

"I do too," she replied, realizing her so called freeness and momentarily happiness had just crumbled. "What if I told you I had an idea?"

Theo looked at her, his tears drying and his eyes rimmed red. "What's that?"

She looked down toward the water, where the sand held all the words she'd shared with Austin in the last few days. "It's not exactly a moral one, but I'm at the point where I don't care anymore…"

He raised his eyebrows.

"I like revenge."


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you for your reviews! Working my hardest to get you guys regular updates. Writer's block can really suck. Thank you to Kathy who I'm pretty sure I drove insane for a few days in order to work through some stuff with the upcoming storyline. She's awesome. Anyway, here's some more AUSLLY drama. ;)**

 **Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Revenge," Theo had smiled, his words somehow curling just like his lips. Ally nodded back at him and gave him a tiny grin of her own. She wanted him to feel the pain that she had. She wanted him to understand how it felt to give your heart to someone and watch them stomp on it, repeatedly until you felt less than whole. With Theo, she could do it. And with the help of her friends, she could make sure it was one of the best revenge plans ever.

"Okay," she started with a deep breath… "Here's my idea…"

The idea consisted of her running back to Dallas and begging for forgiveness. She would state that Theo was nothing but a jerk and that her friends were all trying to break them up. They dragged her away and she had no choice but to follow them. Begging would make it seem all the more real. She'd get into a ruthless fight with Theo in the middle of the shop and Dallas would witness it, where she would state that she was on Dallas' side and that he needed to leave. Theo would pretend to get worked up, and Ally would spend a few painful days pretending to love the hell out of the asshole.

Then, she would invite both of the boys back to the shop again, and as Dallas walked in, Ally would be kissing Theo. It would be clear that it was all a joke and that she never believed him. She wanted to shock him. Make him think he was safe when he wasn't. They'd tell him it was over, and when it came to the shop, she would make sure her assets were covered. Ally had enough proof from both her friends and her own gut to out Dallas in front of a lot of people. In turn for their swift break up and clean split, she would not tell the world that he was a cheater. He would then continue the competition and keep the sponsorship until she saw fit.

Besides his cheating, she had other blackmail to use as well. As much as she worried that something in her plan would go wrong, she was sure that they'd get the outcome they wanted. All in all, they were screwing with someone who didn't think anyone could one up him. That would be the sweetest part of the revenge. He'd never see it coming.

"I like the idea, but I do worry that somehow he's going to see through it."

"No," she disagreed. "As pissed as he is at me right now, his mind is on the competition. He's actually probably most vulnerable right now."

Theo agreed, "Okay, I see that point. What happens if it begins to fail?"

Ally sighed, "Well, at this point I suppose we just hope for the best. And in any case, if I have to, I'll just really break up for him. I want this to work for me, but I will settle for whatever I need to just to be rid of him."

"I get it. I'll text the others so they know." He smiled slyly at her. "You were with Austin, weren't you?" She blushed, "Ah, so when this is all over, you will have a hot new beau to play games with."

"What if I told you I already have?" she paused, looking at him with a bit of disgust. "I'm trying to remember we're not really together anymore even if we are. The thought of me still being with him is making me want to throw up. How does that change?"

The boy sighed. "I don't know. I guess it just goes to show that you don't always know someone."

She leaned on her tall, lean friend and smiled. "And some you just know are someone you're going to have in your life forever and ever."

"I'll make sure I tell Dez that."

Ally snorted, shoving him. "Idiot."

The next morning, Ally was working to put her plan into action. She couldn't do it just yet, since it was competition day and there was a lot to do. Theo was busy for obvious reasons and she needed to do some work around their shop before heading to scope out the boys. Still, she was thrilled that in a short amount of time, she would be rid of the boy she used to love. She smiled at this through her morning, dusting off shelves and packing out items that would be in high demand in the coming weeks.

At a few minutes before ten, the door chimed and in walked two girls, clearly on their way to the competition like her. One was talking more than the other, clearly in some sort of story. Loud enough that she could hear every word too, even if she didn't want to. That was a Dallas thing; he loved to make sure everyone else knew whatever he was saying. He was the definition of a boaster.

"And he's really, really hot," she crowed, looking at her friend. "I mean, I know I said I wasn't going to get involved with anyone this summer, but he stopped me last night and I was head over heels." The two girls giggled, grabbing a couple of energy drinks while milling over sunscreen choices. Ally went to finish up the last of her morning duties, knowing she had to meet Trish in ten minutes. "I mean… a surfer! How hot!"

The other girl giggled, "Yeah, he is really attractive. I didn't think you would go for that kind of guy though."

"What does that mean?" The girl snorted. "Because he's blond, or because you think he's too hot for me?"

The other girl immediately went on defense, and Ally's interest was peaked. "I never said you weren't good enough for him. But he's an amateur and a newbie. You know nothing about him… have you even seen him around before?"

"Nah," she shrugged. "I don't think he's from around here though. He told me he was staying with a family member who used to surf." Ally's stomach started to churn at this random girl's mystery man. It was sounding more and more like Austin by the second and she was growing worried that he was lying to her, too. "I don't care about that."

"What's his name again?"

"Is it bad I don't remember?"

The girls came up to the counter, practically ignoring her while tossing their items her way. "He's got these gorgeous hazel eyes though and I bet he advances far. I always see him running early in the morning by my house. He kissed me last night … hmm, I probably should know his name… maybe it was Bradley… nah, it was something with an A—" The sound of the metallic sunscreen bottle hitting the floor woke the girls from their chatter and Ally tried to cover her furious expression long enough to apologize.

The gave her a weird look as she handed them their change and they were out the door. She ran over the details in her head, thinking back on everything that they said. A sinking feeling came over her, and she felt so stupid for ever believing the blond boy she'd so quickly fallen for. A tiny voice in her head laughed at her—you think he was different? You're an idiot.

Maybe the voice was right.

She sighed, picking up the papers that also had fallen when she heard that the boy had kissed the girl before her.

What could she say to Austin now? She knew they weren't really together but why would be talking to more than one girl at once? And last night? They were together last night! They had agreed to take things slow—how could he lie to her like that? Especially knowing about how Dallas was. He was no better. Maybe there was more to him than she ever realized, probably a lot considering he didn't live in Miami. What kind of trouble did he get into back home? He mentioned how people remember the bad things about a person while quickly dismissing the good and she was doing the same at that moment. But he had lied to her and it made her feel less than worthy a second time in twenty four hours.

She thought about her plan. If Dallas was a jerk, he would still get his.

But if Austin doing that with other girls, she could play that game too. She was so tired of getting screwed over, she wanted to come out on top for once. These boys thought they were all that, and she was tired of being walked on like some sort of second option. She wanted to be the only option and would settle for nothing beside that.

With a final sigh, she made the decision. She knew that Theo probably wouldn't see it before the competition started, but she texted him a new plan. The plan consisted of the original that she discussed the night before, but would have an additional aspect to it now: she would continue to date Dallas while she also continued this thing with Austin. If he could play with her feelings, she could play with his, too. Only when the timing was right would she reveal to both boys the truth. She was tired of being the one everyone screwed over.

The competition made it so there were people everywhere. Literally, people came from miles away just to watch some of the world's best upcoming and established surfers but this also made it so you couldn't move very far without someone bumping into you. It also made it so that finding your friends on a crowded beach was nearly impossible. Text after text ('we're by the lifeguard station near the judges table') and it still took her almost ten minutes to discover her sunbathing friends on beach towels, sipping on iced teas.

She plopped down next to Dez, glad that her friends were there and she didn't have to deal with any of her surfing problems right away.

He smiled at her, nudging the brunette with his knee. "All good?"

"It will be," she assured him.

"I hope you know how much restraint that Theo showed last night. I'm proud of him."

She thought back to how upset he looked in the car and wondered if Theo ever planned on telling his boyfriend about the night he didn't show any restraint. She loved him more than words, but he couldn't hide that forever. Still, it didn't matter at that moment and she nodded with relief. "I'm glad that he didn't end up in a physical fight with him. I could see Dallas twisting it so that Theo was wrong and disqualified while he was still in it. That would've made me furious."

"Yeah," Dez stated. "I would've then had to hurt them both."

The two chuckled and Ally shifted on the beach towel, glancing near where the surfers often hung out, waiting for the competition to start. She didn't know who was up first, or how quickly this day would turn out, but she remembered Theo saying last night that they were in the middle that day. When she glanced at that area, she saw nearly one hundred surfers. In that mix were two people, one she hated with a passion, and one that she wished she could still feel how she did last night on the sand. Now, she just wondered why. Why would he mess with her feelings, too?

"I'm gonna run to the surf shack for some drinks, wanna come?"

"Yeah," Ally agreed as Dez stood, following him toward the busy little smoothie shack, stopping short near the bathroom. She knew that she had thrown her hair into a crazed ponytail that morning while running late, and figured the line was so long at the shack she'd have plenty of time to do it properly and still make her order. She told this to her friend and darted off, relieved that since it was still early, there was not a line inside the small, somewhat dirty bathroom. She took her time fixing her hair, also adjusting her bikini and looked in the mirror. She knew that she was relatively attractive; not someone stunning by any means, but enough. Enough to her meant more than she could explain. It didn't surprise her that Dallas went for someone like herself at one point. He needed someone safe, someone that looked good for the cameras. It was only a matter of time before the localized but well known Miami surfer became an internationally known name.

Perhaps that was why he was keeping her around. Leggy blondes with little personality didn't look good via the papers. As if she needed another reason to wonder why he was the way he happened to be, but it would make sense. Dallas wasn't much of a person anymore, it seemed, more so a brand.

Sighing, she ran a hand through her ponytail and left the bathroom, barreling right into a firm chest.

It only took seconds to notice it was Noah, from his twisted smile and from the tattoo she remembered him getting a few years back, square on his chest. Obviously, he hadn't changed into his wetsuit yet.

"Don't worry, Ally," he purred. "I won't tell Dallas you were enjoying the view."

"Get over yourself," she spat, trying to move out of the way. "And mind your own business."

"What does that mean?" he called out, following her. Yet another surfer she'd like to sock right in the mouth with her small fist. She whirled around, giving him a stare that she hoped meant business. "You're about as terrifying as a scared kitten," he laughed, patting her head.

"Don't touch me," she growled.

"Man, I don't remember you being this angry years ago," he mused. "Must be some sort of trouble in Dallas land. You still selling his stuff behind his back? Those notes would probably come in handy to someone else."

"Shut up," she hissed, worried that someone would hear. She really didn't need another stressor on top of what she already had piled on. "Look. I'll leave you alone, if you leave me alone. Seems like a fair deal, doesn't it?"

He tilted his head, "But AllyGator, where is the fun in that?"

" _Don't call me that_."

He looked briefly hurt but recovered. "There are worse things I could call you," he taunted, giving her a look. "You probably shouldn't make out with people on _public_ beaches."

With that, he gave her a sickening smile and stalked off into the bathroom, leaving her standing there flabbergasted. Was the jerk stalking her or something It only seemed logical. And knowing her former friend, he wouldn't just go away after saying that. She would have to watch her every move in the coming days, especially with the knowledge of her plans about to go into the works. Did it really matter if he knew, or anyone else knew what she was doing? Probably not at this point, but she really, really wanted something to go her way for once.

 **Take it Out on Me**

The competition had gone more in his favor on the second day, much to Austin's relief. Coming in third the first day made him feel inferior, even if according to his Uncle that was a great feat from an 'outsider'. He didn't want to be third. He would settle for second (that was today), but he wanted to be first. He'd worked for a lot of things in the last few years, and it showed him that being nothing but the best was not in his description anymore.

Besides, he remembered looking out at the crowd at one point during the day and seeing Ally with her friends. She hadn't noticed him, in fact he hadn't even seen her since her admittance to him the night before, but she had looked stunning from where she sat. Dressed in a hot pink bikini and cut off shorts, when she stood to dust off sand from her blanket, he had to look away to hide his enjoyment. Still, she had run off with her friend named Dez and ended up on the sand, giggling from what it seemed. She was effortlessly beautiful, unlike a lot of the other girls he'd seen around who seemed to try too hard, whether it be for themselves or for another person.

She was just her, and he admired that.

Maybe she was his good luck charm. After all, he couldn't stop thinking about her. After they chatted that night, most of their conversation had waned and the remainder of their time together had been spent discovering how well their lips molded together. He found her scent (almost a coconut lime, but definitely beachy) absolutely irresistible and found her laugh to be something even more addicting.

Could you fall for someone so quickly? He wanted to scold himself for letting her in without a second thought, removing that guard like it was never there, despite their promises to take things slow. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so good around someone.

He sat on the beach later that night, reveling in the notion. His Uncle was down near the water, trying to use the ocean as a natural cleanser on some of his belongings. It was humorous to watch, even if he wasn't actively participating. He knew how much his Uncle appreciated him there; knew that he understood where Austin had come from and how hard he worked to get clean, get happy, and become someone he could be proud of.

Thinking about all of this made his good mood diminish quickly.

The first time his Uncle saw him following the ride home from the police station hadn't been a pretty one. He saw the disappointment in his eyes, the wonder, but also the hope.

Except, he didn't know what he'd done before that night. It might've been the night in the police station that finally made him realize he had to get his act together (he wouldn't argue he deserved to be there, after all), but actually a few weeks previous in which it'd really fell apart. He remembered his parents crying in the kitchen one late evening, thinking he was asleep in his room, while they stumbled over insurance claims and damages. He'd ruined more in a short few hours and they had no idea. Austin knew his Uncle loved him, but a part of him wondered if he could love him the same if he knew the truth of what happened in the downtown area of his hometown the night his parents lost everything they'd worked for in their married life.

And ironically, the aftermath which made him all the more so screwed. Seemed like a cruel way of life saying 'ha!' to him. They would never find out, but if they did, he only wished they would understand that he tried. He had the scars to prove it. But the guys he'd been with had ushered him out, quickly before they were caught.

Ally's face came into his mind and he shifted from where he sat.

He knew she struggled with her boyfriend's (ex boyfriend it seemed now) lies and secrets… how would she feel about his?

A thought came over him. Maybe he didn't deserve her. After all, she worked so hard to keep herself afloat.

It would destroy his family if they ever found out the truth, so he'd kept it a secret, and thankfully no one had ever found out. Was it wrong to keep her in the dark too?

He remained on the sand, hating the feeling that thinking about all of this brought him.

He knew his family wouldn't understand what had happened back home almost two years ago, so why would she. Could anyone?


	16. Author's Note: New TIOOM (Please Read)

ATTENTION:

Hello wonderful and sweet readers. I know, I know… long time without updating… I've come (don't worry I'm not deleting, calm down) to let you guys know that this story is NOT dead. That said, I will be reworking it, as I have come unsatisfied with how the story has gone and my initial idea has gone a bit astray. That said! I am going to be deleting this original story over the course of the next few days, and in time will be posting the new story in place of it. Same name, same general idea, but with a reboost of sorts. I apologize for the lack of communication the last few months… I've truly struggled with this story and spent many nights typing a paragraph or two and growing so frustrated that I closed out of the document.

Get excited! TIOOM will be back in no time at all.

Love you guys,

Ariel


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